Ofsted will prioritise inadequate authorities when inspection re-starts
Local authority children’s services rated inadequate at their last inspection will be prioritised when Ofsted re-starts its inspection process and begins focused visits again after it was temporarily halted during lockdown.
When Ofsted begins prioritising local authorities for focused visits from late September to early October, it will take into account those judged inadequate at their [...]
Additional funding announced for local authorities amid COVID-19
The Scottish Parliament has approved almost £258 million of additional funding for social care, education and food provision for those in need.
The provision of a further £72 million is being agreed with COSLA and will be subject to Parliamentary approval in due course. This will bring the total additional funding provided to help Scotland’s local [...]
Scottish government issues guidance on tackling domestic abuse during COVID-19 pandemic
Women, children and young people experiencing Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) in communities across Scotland are at significant increased risk of harm during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Supplementary National Violence Against Women Guidance, produced by the Scottish government, COSLA, Public Health Scotland and the Improvement Service, states that measures introduced to control [...]
Social workers to continue visiting vulnerable children
Vulnerable children who already have a social worker will continue to be visited and/or monitored as frequently as possible, government guidance has stated.
The Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on vulnerable children and young people outlines that local authorities will be expected to prioritise support to the most vulnerable, including undertaking necessary visits whilst taking appropriate infection control [...]
Statutory duty on local authorities to provide accommodation for domestic abuse survivors
Domestic abuse survivors and their children will be supported further as the government has revealed plans which place a statutory duty on local authorities to provide secure accommodation for domestic abuse survivors and those fleeing abuse.
Charity Refuge welcomed the plans which, it said, had the potential to "end the postcode lottery for refuge places and [...]
Missed opportunities to protect missing children
Missed opportunities to protect missing children: Councils are missing opportunities to safeguard children when they go missing from care or home, research by The Children's Society has shown.
Local authorities are only carrying out return home interviews on average, in just 50 per cent of cases where children go missing from home or care, the research [...]
