A set of four linked reports examined the challenges facing residential child care in Scotland and made recommendations for change. Residential care had made a positive and lasting difference to the lives of many young people: but many professionals, agencies, and the general public held a negative view of the service and perceived it as a last resort.
Source: Kelly Bayes, Higher Aspirations, Brighter Futures: National Residential Child Care Initiative – Overview report, Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care/University of Strathclyde | Malcolm Hill, Higher Aspirations, Brighter Futures: NRCCI Matching Resources to Needs Report, Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care | Ian Milligan, Higher Aspirations, Brighter Futures: NRCCI Commissioning Report, Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care | Jennifer Davidson, Carole Wilkinson, Bernadette Docherty and Maureen Anderson, Higher Aspirations, Brighter Futures: NRCCI Workforce Report, Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care
Links: Report (1) | Report (2) | Report (3) | Report (4) | SIRC press release | Scottish Government press release | SG response paper
Date: 2009-Dec
An audit report said that the financial performance of the National Health Service in Scotland had been good over the previous year, and most national targets for patient care and service improvement had been met. However, the service faced significant financial pressures and there were deep-seated health-related problems that it could not deal with alone.
Source: Overview of the NHS in Scotland's Performance 2008/09, Audit Scotland for Accounts Commission and Auditor General
Links: Report | Audit Scotland press release | Scottish Government press release | BBC report
Date: 2009-Dec
An article highlighted a rapid demise in the status and legitimacy of health visiting and its wider public health role. Three reviews of community nursing and health visiting in Scotland and England had made divergent policy recommendations about the role of the health visitor in tackling health inequalities. The recommendations outlined in the Scottish review, in particular, threatened to jeopardize the very future of a United Kingdom-wide health visiting service. If health visiting were to survive as a UK-wide entity, a radical independent rethink as to its future direction and its public health role was urgently required.
Source: Robert Hoskins, 'Health visiting – the end of a UK wide service?', Health Policy, Volume 93 Issues 2-3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2009-Dec
The Scottish Government announced a new scheme designed to improve safeguards for vulnerable groups, and at the same time end the need for people to complete detailed application forms every time a disclosure check was required.
Source: Press release 10 November 2009, Scottish Government (0131 556 8400)
Links: SG press release | Draft regulations | BBC report
Date: 2009-Nov
The education and children's services inspectorate in Scotland highlighted a number of 'key strengths' in child protection services across Scotland. Although around one-quarter of the initial inspections identified serious weaknesses, inspection was generally followed by prompt action to reduce the level of risk.
Source: How Well Do We Protect Scotland's Children? A report on the findings of the joint inspections of services to protect children 2005-2009, HM Inspectorate of Education in Scotland (01506 600200)
Links: Report | HMIE press release | Scottish Government press release | BBC report
Date: 2009-Nov
The Scottish Government published a Bill designed to help reduce the cost of alcohol misuse to Scotland's public services and economy. The Bill's key proposals included: a minimum price per unit of alcohol; a ban on irresponsible off-sales promotions; a duty on licensing boards to consider raising the off-sales purchase age to 21 where appropriate; and a power to introduce a 'social responsibility fee' on some retailers to offset the costs of dealing with drink problems.
Source: Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Bill, Scottish Government, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Policy memorandum | SG press release | BBC report | Scotsman report
Date: 2009-Nov
Researchers drew lessons from a project in Scotland on what worked and what did not work in improving social services for clients with multiple and complex needs.
Source: Andy Hirst, Joke Delvaux, Sini Rinne, Christina Short and Alan McGregor, Multiple and Complex Needs Initiative: Programme Evaluation Report, Scottish Government (web publication only)
Date: 2009-Oct
Researchers found that a policy of setting minimum prices for alcohol, combined with a ban on quantity discount promotions, could make a significant contribution to tackling Scotland's alcohol misuse problem.
Source: Robin Purshouse et al., Model-Based Appraisal of Alcohol Minimum Pricing and Off-Licensed Trade Discount Bans in Scotland: A Scottish adaptation of the Sheffield Alcohol Policy Model version 2, Scottish Government (web publication only)
Links: Report | SG press release | SNP press release | Alcohol Policy UK press release | BBC report
Date: 2009-Sep
An article examined the independent review of social work in Scotland, and what had happened to social work since publication of its report in 2006. The report reflected the problems that beset social work, and offered ways forward that merited consideration: but both the report, and the ensuing change programme, had failed to critically appraise the political and social forces that had undermined the status of welfare professionals and marginalized service users.
Source: Anne Ritchie, 'Changing Lives: critical reflections on the social work change programme for Scotland', Critical Social Policy, Volume 29 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2009-Aug
A report by a committee of MSPs said that there was 'disturbing evidence' that children under 5 were not being monitored for mental well-being by statutory services. It expressed 'deep concern' at the lack of progress in several areas of the national framework on child and adolescent mental health.
Source: Inquiry Into Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Well-Being, 7th Report 2009, SP Paper 309, Scottish Parliament Health and Sport Committee, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SP press release | BBC report
Date: 2009-Jun
The Scottish Government published a mental health improvement plan. There would be national 'marketing' campaigns to raise awareness of how adults and young people could promote their own well-being, aided by self-help resources and practical support.
Source: Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland: Policy and action plan 2009-2011, Scottish Government, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SG press release
Date: 2009-May
An audit report said that much had been done in Scotland to move mental health services from institutions into the community. There now needed to be a better understanding of the care people received and how resources to support this were best used.
Source: Overview of Mental Health Services, Audit Scotland for Accounts Commission and Auditor General (0131 477 1234)
Links: Report | Summary | Audit Scotland press release | BBC report
Date: 2009-May
The Scottish Government published its response to an independent review of the secure care estate for children and young people. It said that all the review recommendations had been accepted in full, and were to be implemented as an integrated package. Local authorities and their partners would develop and deploy an effective range of interventions to ensure secure care was used only when necessary, and the long-term aim was that no child should be held in secure care.
Source: Securing Our Future: A Way Forward for Scotland's Secure Care Estate – A Response from the Scottish Government and COSLA, Scottish Government (web publication only)
Links: Report | SG press release
Date: 2009-Apr
The care services regulator in Scotland said that more than 40 per cent of care homes in Scotland needed to improve the support they offered people with life-limiting illnesses and those who require palliative and end-of-life care.
Source: Better Care Every Step of the Way: Report on the quality of palliative and end of life care in care homes for adults and older people, Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SCRC press release
Date: 2009-Apr
A think-tank report examined whether the existing structure of the National Health Service was the most effective way of providing health services in Scotland, and looked at the lessons that could be learned from other European countries. It called for a legally binding charter setting out the care and treatment patients were entitled to receive.
Source: Ben Thomson and Geoff Mawdsley, Patient Power, Reform Scotland (0131 524 9500)
Links: Report | Reform Scotland press release
Date: 2009-Apr
The Scottish Government announced (following consultation) plans to tackle alcohol abuse by setting a minimum price per unit and banning discount deals.
Source: Changing Scotland's Relationship with Alcohol: A framework for action, Scottish Government, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Framework | Consultation responses | SG press release | Alcohol Concern press release | Alcohol Policy UK press release | NUS press release | BBC report (1) | BBC report (2) | Guardian report
Date: 2009-Mar
The watchdog in Scotland for the rights of children and young people said that vulnerable children leaving the care system in Scotland experienced inadequate support, despite new procedures put in place by local authorities.
Source: Sweet 16? One Year On – Is life any sweeter?, Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People (0131 558 3733) Links: Report | SCCYP press release
Date: 2009-Mar
The Scottish Parliament approved a Bill to promote public engagement in the health service. Elected health boards would make the National Health Service more accountable and responsive to the public by creating a greater sense of ownership and participation in decision-making.
Source: Health Boards (Membership and Elections) (Scotland) Bill, Scottish Government, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283) | Debate March 2009, columns 15773-15835, Scottish Parliament, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: MSP debate | Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Policy memorandum | SG press release
Date: 2009-Mar
An audit report said that drug and alcohol-related death rates in Scotland were among the highest in Europe, and had doubled in the previous 15 years. A co-ordinated effort was needed to ensure services met local needs and were delivered to consistent standards nationally.
Source: Drug and Alcohol Services in Scotland, Audit Scotland for Accounts Commission and Auditor General (0131 477 1234) Links: Report | Audit Scotland press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2009-Mar
An audit report said that about one-third of the National Health Service estate in Scotland might require 'major upgrading' work in the near future.
Source: Asset Management in the NHS in Scotland, Audit Scotland for Accounts Commission and Auditor General (0131 477 1234)
Links: Report | Summary | Audit Scotland press release | BBC report
Date: 2009-Jan
