The Chairperson of Child Care Reviews in Scotland: Implications for the Role of Reviews in the Decision Making Process

Correspondence to Dr A. J. Kendrick, Research Fellow, Department of Political Science and Social Policy, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN, Scotland. Summary This article is based upon the first stage of a research projecton statutory child care reviews in Scotland and explores therole of reviews in the decision-making processes for childrenin local authority care. We have argued that the position ofchairperson of reviews has an important role in locating childcare reviews in the organïzational structures of the SocialWork Departments. The designation of the chairperson also hasimplications for the objectivity of the child care review. Thenature of conclusions of child care reviews is also exploredand we show that this is a complex issue reflecting the childcare review's relationships to other decision-making bodiesand the manner in which the delegation of authority for thechairing of reviews is structured. While this research is basedupon the twelve Scottish Social Work Departments we believethat the issues discussed have a general relevance.     

The Selection of the Children's Panel for the County of Fife: A Case Study

Summary This paper examines the process of selecting Children's Panelmembers for one Scottish County in the light of the two separateprinciples on which the new system is based. It shews that wherethese were in conflict the Advisory Committee chose candidatessuitable for the task to be performed rather than those whowould compose a Panel representative of the community. The paperargues that this approach to the problem of panel selectionwas valid     

Who decides? Child care reviews in two Scottish social work departments

SUMMARY. There has been controversy for several years about the role of child care reviews-are they for decision-making or only for monitoring progress of children in care. At the heart of this debate have been the questions of involvement of children, their parents, and professionals from other agencies. This article takes forward these arguments based on research in two Scottish social work departments. As well as reporting and discussing the key issues and identifying when different people participate in reviews, it takes in the specific implications of the external monitoring and decision-making role of the Children's Hearing.     

The Functions of Child Care Reviews in Scotland A Preliminary Investigation

Correspondence to Dr A. J. Kendrick, Research Fellow, Department of Political Science and Social Policy, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 4HN, Scotland. Summary In this second article based upon the first stage of a researchproject on statutory child care reviews in Scotland we explorethe perceptions of the functions of reviews. We identify a numberof primary functions which can be viewed together as elementsin a rational model of decision-making. With certain provisosthis model allows us to distinguish analytically the explicitpurpose of child care reviews. We show that although a numberof other functions take place in reviews these are not perceivedas necessary to reviews and as such can be considered secondaryfunctions.