Social Work Committee Thursday, 12 November, 1998
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SOCIAL WORK COMMITTEE THURSDAY, 12 NOVEMBER, 1998 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a meeting of the SOCIAL WORK COMMITTEE will be held within the Council Chambers, Council Headquarters, High Street, Elgin on Thursday, 12 November, 1998 at 10 a.m. Alistair Keddie 5 November, 1998 Depute Chief Executive (Finance & IT) BUSINESS 1. Consider, and if so decide, adopt the following resolution:- “That under Section 50A(4) and (5) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, as amended, the public and media representatives be excluded from the meeting for Items 9 and 10 inclusive of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the appropriate paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act. ” 2. SWSI Report: “Women Offenders - A Safer Way” - Report by Director of Community Services 3. Consultation Paper: “Community Sentencing - The Tough Option” - Report by Director of Community Services 4. SWSI Report: “Sensing Progress” - Social Work Services for People with a Sensory Impairment - Report by Director of Community Services (TO FOLLOW) 5. Scottish Community Care Forum National Conference - Positive Action - Positive Change - Report by Director of Community Services 6. Community Services Department Key Service Plan 1999/2000 - Report by Director of Community Services 7. Project Development & Funding Sources: Services to People with Learning Disabilities - Report by Director of Community Services 8. Bid to the Scottish Offrce for Rough Sleeper Initiative Funding and Bid to European Social Fund for Funding for Training for Rough Sleepers - Report by Director of Community Services Items which the Committee may wish to consider with the Press and Public excluded 9. Future Use of Winchester House, King Street, Elgin - Report by Director of Communty Services (Paras. 8 & 9) 10. Complaints Review Committee Case No. 3/98 - Report by Legal and Administration Services Manager (Para. 3) NE3 Paragraph 3 - Information relating to any particular applicant for, or recipient or former recipent of, any service provided by the Authority Paragraphs 8 and 9 - Information on proposed terms and/or expenditure to be incurred by the Authority ICONTACT PERSON: 1 Rachel Wilson -1 TEL. NO: 01343 563079 ROOM NO: 207a SOCIAL WORK COMMITTEE SEDERUNT COUNCILLO R J. Stewart, Chairman C.OUNCILLO 3 R.L. Patterson, Vice-Chair-mIan COUNCILLO 2 D. Crawford COUNCILLO 3 H.M. Cumiskie coUNcILLo 3 M.C. Howe COUNCILLO 3 A. Keith coUNcILLo 3 W. Jappy COUNCILLO 2 P. Mann COUNCILLO X G. McDonald coUNcILLo X H. McDonald coUNcILLo 3 J.M. Shaw CLERK TO THE COMMITTEE - MISS R. WILSON Tel. 01343 563079 Room No. 207a ITEM: 2 PAGE: 1 REPORT TO: SOCIAL WORK COMMITTEE ON 12 NOVEMBER 1998 SUBJECT: SWSI REPORT: “WOMEN OFFENDERS - A SAFER WAY” BY: DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES 1. Reason for ReDort 1.1 The purpose of this report is to inform the Committee of The Moray Council Criminal Justice Social Work Service’s response to the SWSI Report “Women Offenders - A Safer Way” (a Review of Community Disposals and the use of Custody for Women Offenders in Scotland). 2. Backmound 2.1 On 13 May 1998, the Scottish Office published the Report “Women Offenders - A Safer Way”. On the same day, a letter was sent to all local authorities by the Scottish Office requesting comments in relation to the findings or recommendations in the Report by the end of August 1998. That letter together with a copy of the Report “Women Offenders - A Safer Way” and a copy of the Government’s Response have been lodged in the Members Library. 2.2 Also on 13 May 1998, a further letter was sent to all local authorities referring to Recommendation 4 in the Report. In accordance with that Recommendation, all Authorities were requested to “review their arrangements to ensure that Criminal Justice Social Work Services are tailored to work with women offenders, and should report the outcome of their reviews to the SWSI by the end of November 1998”. A copy of that letter dated 13 May 1998 is included as APPENDIX 1 to this present Report. ITEM: d PAGE: 2 3. The Proposals 3.1 An initial response from The Moray Council Criminal Justice Social Work Service to the SWSI Report, was sent to the Scottish Office on 19 August 1998. This included some brief comments on the SWSI Report. It also indicated that a Working Group was being established in Moray to look at the Report in detail and to prepare the Review of existing services. A copy of that response is included with this Report as APPENDIX 2. 3.2 The Working Group was formed within the Social Work Division of the Community Services Department and this Group was chaired by Alan Willis, Social Worker Manager (Criminal Justice Services). The Group comprised Social Work representation from Criminal Justice Social Work; Area Teams (generic) Social Work; Social Work Addictions Service; Hospital based Mental Health Social Work. In addition, consultation was arranged with outside agencies, as indicated later in this Report. 3.3 On completion of its work, the Working Group has produced the Review of Criminal Justice Social Work Services provided to women offenders by The Moray Council, as requested by the Scottish Office. This Review is included with this Report as APPENDIX 3. 3.4 A corporate response to the SWSI Report has been submitted by the Association of Directors of Social Work (Standing Committee on Criminal Justice) and a copy of that response is included with this Report as APPENDIX 4. The Moray Council Criminal Justice Social Work Service agrees with the comments contained in the ADSW response. 4. Staffme Implications 4.1 There are no staffing implications associated with this Report. 5. Financial Implications 5.1 There are no financial implications associated with this Report. 6. Environmental Implications 6.1 There are no environmental implications associated with this Report. ITEM: 2 PAGE: 3 7. Consultation 7.1 In preparing this Report, consultation has taken place: within the Working Group and thereby, throughout the Social Work Division of the Community Services Department; with Sheriff Noel McPartlin (Elgin Sheriff Court); Procurator Fiscal Depute (Elgin Sheriff Court); Sheriff Clerk (Elgin Sheriff Court); Carol Watterson (Senior Employment Counsellor, Apex Scotland); Bob Barr and Helen Graham Social Work Unit HM Prison Porterfield Inverness. Statistical information has been provided by the Information & Research Officer in Aberdeen City (from where The Moray Council currently purchases information and research services for Criminal Justice Social Work). All those consulted are in agreement with the contents of the Review and this Report. 8. Recommendations It is recommended that the Social Work Committee: (i) Note the contents of tbis Report. Note the contents of the Review of Criminal Justice Social Work Services provided to women offenders by The Moray Council. Author of Report: Alan Willis, Social Work Manager (Criminal Justice Services) Background Papers: National Objectives and Standards for Social Work in the Criminal Justice System and Revisions; SWSI Report: “Women Offenders - A Safer Way”; Government’s Response to the SWSI Report. Ref: ALANWXJSREPOR Signature: . .s. &.. 45IYL--. Name: David Sullivan Designation: Chief Social Work Officer APPENDIX 1 THE SCOTTISH OFFICE Social Work Services lnspecrorate lames Craig LVdk Edinburgh EH I 38/i TelephoneOl31-244 541-1 Fax 0 I3 I-244 5496 To all Directors of Social Work/Chief Social Work Officers 13 May 1998 Dear Colleague WO&lEiU OFFENDERS - A SAFER WAY: A REVIEW OF CO~lXLNITY DISPOSALS AND THE I_iSE OF CUSTODY FOR WO&lEN OFFENDERS I?% SCOTLAND _’ I refer to the above repon and the Government’s response, both of which v;ere p~lblished t&a:; and have been issued to locai authorities and other key interests. The report concludes that women’s offending and women offenders’ needs are often different to those of mzn: thzt better information is necessary to maximise opportunities for dealin? with women oZ’~n~e:s at the earliest points in the criminal justice process, and that existing programmes linked CO community sentences may not always be suitable for vvomen. Recommendation 4 of the report states that: “All local authorities should review their arrangements to ensure that criminal justice social work services are tailored to work with women offenders: and should report the outcome of their reviews to the SWSI by the end of Xotember 1998.” I am writing: therefore, to ask you to take forward this recommendation b>, revieL::in: arrangements within vour authoritv for the provisionI of criminal justice SOCKS vvork services !p_ l?lntinn_ __-_____ ‘c)_ l,‘,‘s~~~AA gf:‘t&r;. [&ing &tie a-c:ouni of the issues seL ZuL in para$2phs 1 i z.T,u’ 12 of the Recommendations contained in Chapter 6 of the report. I ivould be grateful if you l.vould provide a renon to me: bv 30 sovember 1998, indicating th2 outcome of your review ad ways in \vhich you might maxi&c the impact of existing resources, including those located elsewhere Lvithin the local authoritv.. ln narticular 1 Lvouid be grateful for you to hi,ohlight any plans for early future action. We vvill make the results of the review publicly available and will ensure that particularly innovative approaches are disseminate to ail authorities. Yours sincerely ChiefSo$aI Work Inspector I/ CZK%ify Services David Sullivan Chief Criminal Justice Set-vices Springlield House Edgar Road Elgin IV30 3FF Contact: Alan Willis Tel: (01343) 557049 Ref AWIJJP 19 August 199s Mr Angus Skinner Chief Social Work Inspector The Scottish Office Social Work Services Inspectorate James Craig Walk Edinburgh EHl3BA Dear Mr Skinner WOiMEN OFFENDERS - A SAFER WAY Thank you for your letter dated 13 May 1998 and also for enclosing copies of this report which have been distributed throughout this Department.