UK Act of Parliament
1968
Scotland
Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968
At a glance
Enforced by
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part I — Administration
Browse 16 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
The social work committee .
Chief social work officer.
Provisions relating to performance of functions by local authorities.
Powers of Secretary of State.
Local authority plans for community care services.
Complaints procedure.
National Chief Social Work Adviser and National Social Work Agency
Supervision of establishments providing accommodation for persons and inspection of records etc.
Inquiries.
Local authority inquiries into matters affecting children.
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Research.
Training courses and grants for training in social work.
Financial and other assistance to voluntary organisations
Acquisition of land.
Part II — Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Browse 39 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
General social welfare services of local authorities.
Duty of local authority to assess needs.
Assessment of ability to provide care
Duty of local authority to provide information to carer
Assessments under section 12A: assistance
Direct payments in respect of community care services.
Further provisions relating to direct payments.
Power of local authorities to assist persons in need in disposal of produce of their work.
Residential accommodation with nursing.
Provision of care and after-care
Provision of services to incapable adults
Home help and laundry facilities.
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Promotion of Social Welfare by Local Authorities
Supervision and care of persons put on probation or released from prisons etc.
Grants in respect of community service facilities
Grants in respect of hostel accommodation for persons under supervision.
Advice, guidance and assistance to persons arrested or on whom sentence deferred
Burial or cremation of the dead.
Power of local authority to defray certain travelling expenses.
Part III — Children in need of Compulsory Measures of Care
Browse 38 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Definition of child and parent for Part III.
Restriction on prosecution of children for offences.
Children in need of compulsory measures of care.
Formation of children’s panels.
Children’s hearings.
Safeguarding of interests of children before children’s hearings etc.
Provisions as to time, place, privacy and notification of children’s hearings.
The reporter and deputies.
Power of reporters to conduct proceedings before a sheriff.
Reports of cases of children who may require compulsory measures of care and the interim detention of such children in places of safety.
Initial investigation of cases by reporter.
Action on initial investigation by reporter.
Attendance of child at children’s hearing.
Attendance of parent at children’s hearing.
Conduct of children’s hearing and application to sheriff for findings.
Discharge of referral and power of children’s hearing to order further investigation after consideration of the facts.
Disposal of case by children’s hearing other than by discharge of referral.
Rules as respects transmission of information and conveyance of children to residential establishments etc.
Children to whom Part IV of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1960 may apply.
Duration of supervision requirements and their variation.
Review of requirement of children’s hearing.
Appeal against decision of a children’s hearing.
Appeal to Court of Session.
Reconsideration by hearing after appeal, and subsequent appeal.
Power of Secretary of State to terminate a supervision requirement.
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Transfer of case to another children’s hearing.
Presumption and determination of age.
Reference and remit of children’s cases by courts to children’s hearings.
Reference and remit of cases of certain young persons by courts to children’s hearings.
Prohibition of publication of proceedings.
Residence in secure accommodation.
Time limits on keeping without reference to children’s hearing.
Review of secure accommodation condition.
Sheriff’s power to direct condition to cease to have effect.
Warrants to detain in secure accommodation.
Procedures for placing in secure accommodation.
Transitional provisions.
Part IV — Residential and other Establishments
Browse 16 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Provision of residential and other establishments by local authorities, and maximum period for repayment of sums borrowed for such provision.
Grants in respect of secure accommodation for children.
Control of residential and other establishments.
Restriction on carrying on of establishments.
Voluntary registration.
Registration.
Certificate of registration as respects grant-aided or independent school.
Special provisions for registration by Secretary of State.
Appeals against conditions imposed on registration or subsequently.
Special provisions for jointly registrable establishments.
Appeals against refusal or cancellation of registration.
Registration fees.
Removal of persons from establishments.
Duty to furnish particulars of establishments.
Entry to examine state and management of establishments etc.
Visiting of persons in establishments on behalf of local authorities.
Part V
Browse 9 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Abscondment from a place of safety, or from the control of a person imposed by a supervision requirement.
Abscondment from residential establishments.
Harbouring.
Supervision of children moving to England or Wales or Northern Ireland.
Supervision of children moving to Scotland.
Parent of a child in a residential establishment under a supervision requirement moving to England or Wales or Northern Ireland.
Parent of a child subject to an approved school order or a committal order moving to Scotland.
Procedure.
Meaning of child for the purposes of this Part of this Act.
Part VI — Contributions in respect of Children in Care etc.
Browse 8 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Duty to make contributions in respect of children in care etc.
Recovery of contributions.
Recipients of contributions.
Enforcement of duty to make contributions.
Provisions as to decrees for aliment.
Recovery of arrears of contributions.
Variation of trusts.
References in this Part of this Act to child being looked after.
Part VII — Miscellaneous and General
Browse 18 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Transfer of assets and liabilities.
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Adjustments between authority providing accommodation etc., and authority of area of residence.
Exclusion of powers to provide accommodation in certain cases.
Charges that may be made for services and accommodation.
Duty of parents to notify change of address.
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Orders, regulations etc.
Expenses.
Effect of Act on rate support grant.
Powers of the Secretary of State to make grants.
Transitional provisions.
Interpretation.
Minor and consequential amendments, repeals and savings.
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Extension of certain provisions of Act to England and Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands.
Commencement.
Short title.
Schedules
Browse 77 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Any reference to a child or to a young person...
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In section 62, for the words “an approved school” there...
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Any reference to a court of summary jurisdiction or to...
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In section 46(1) for the words “child or young person”,...
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The Secretary of State shall appoint such number of members...
A member of a children’s panel shall hold office for...
Subject to paragraph 5B below,each local authority shall form a...
The Secretary of State may, at the request of the...
The chairman of the Children’s Panel Advisory Committee shall be...
It shall be the duty of the Children’s Panel Advisory...
The Children’s Panel Advisory Committee shall have power—
(1) Two or more local authorities may, for the purpose...
The Secretary of State may make such arrangements as he...
Each local authority shall make such arrangements as they consider...
A local authority may pay– (a) to a member or...
Every agreement to which the transferor was a party immediately...
Where the functions of the transferor are transferred to more...
Any legal or other proceedings to which the transferor is...
The Secretary of State may make regulations for facilitating the...
In this Schedule— (a) “transferor” means a body or person...
(1) Until the expiration of a period of two years...
(1) The following enactments shall, notwithstanding the repeal or exclusion...
After the commencement of Part II of this Act and...
(1) This paragraph applies to children who immediately before the...
(1) Subject to the next following sub-paragraph, on the commencement...
On the coming into operation of the said Part III...
Until such time as the Secretary of State may direct,...
Until such time as the Secretary of State may by...
In this Schedule the following expressions have the meanings assigned...
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In section 110(1), in the definition of “Child”, for the...
(1) In section 15(1), after paragraph (f) there shall be...
In section 27, at the end there shall be added...
In section 63, after the words “foregoing section” there shall...
In section 32(1), at the end there shall be inserted...
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In section 65, at the end, there shall be added...
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In section 8(1), after the words “the Children Act 1948”...
(1) In section 9, in subsection (1), after paragraph (a)...
In section 16(2)(b), after sub-paragraph (v) there shall be inserted...
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In section 4(3), paragraph (b) shall be omitted, and after...
In section 15(4), for the words “(which provides” there shall...
In section 36(2)(a), for the words “or section ninety” to...
In section 43(3), after the word “1948” there shall be...
In section 57, in the definition of “place of safety”,...
In section 10, for subsection (4) there shall be substituted...
(1) In section 11(1), for the words “for the purpose”...
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In section 38(3), for the words “an approved school” there...
In section 3(5), after “1948”, insert “or under any re-enactment...
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In section 55, the words from “section 88(5)” to “Scottish...
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(1) In section 87(1), for the words from “to an...
(1) In section 15, in subsections (1) and (3), for...
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After section 101(2) there shall be inserted the following subsection—...
(1) In section 103(1), for the words “whether charged with...
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- Social work information (opens in a new tab) from ICO Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Care Inspectorate (Scotland)
Registers and inspects care services in Scotland including care homes, childcare, and support services. Publishes inspection grades and can take enforcement action.
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