Notes on Social Work data

The indicators within the Safety section are taken from a variety of sources and reports however mainly originate from three key sources. The number of children who are social work service users (including those looked after and accommodated or on the Child Protection Register) is derived from careFirst (the client information system used by Glasgow City Council Social Work Services); population estimates for areas within Scotland are obtained from the National Records of Scotland (NRS) (formerly GROS) or from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for English local authorities and numbers/rates of children referred to the Children’s Reporter are drawn from the SCRA website.

The source data for each indicator presented is noted in the graph titling.

Children Supported by Social Work Services
These statistics, which are shown to Social Work Area and Multi-member Ward level, are taken from the (Glasgow) Social Work Area Demographics Report 2011. Mid-year population estimates from the National Records of Scotland (NRS) have been applied to the number of children (aged 0 to 17 years) receiving a social work service in order to calculate the relative measure of percentage of the population receiving a service.

This indicator was selected as it shows the relatively high number of children in Glasgow who have contact with/support from Social Work services.

These are local statistics which are not available from other local authorities’ outwith Glasgow for comparison.

Children Referred to the Scottish Children’s Reporters Administration (SCRA)
This indicator provides information on children and young people referred to SCRA, who are aged 0-15 years or aged 16 or 17 years and subject to supervision requirements/remitted by a court.

All data for this indicator was obtained from the SCRA Online Statistical Dashboard. Data is presented within this section both in terms of numbers of children referred to SCRA and numbers of referrals of children to SCRA. Rates per 1,000 of the child population (aged 0 -15 years) are available directly from the Online Statistical Dashboard.

This particular indicator from SCRA was selected as it shows the relatively high number of Glasgow children about whom concerns exist, either for care or offence reasons.

Looked After Children
This indicator reports information on numbers of looked after children and care leavers, aged 0 to 21 years. Estimates of the 0-18 years population are applied to calculate relative measures of percentage of the child population. (Few children aged 18+ are looked after which explains why the population base used is 0-18 years rather than 0-21 years).

Data for this indicator at Scotland and Scottish local authority level, including Glasgow City Council, was sourced from the Scottish Government annual report on Children Looked After Statistics. This report is compiled by the Scottish Government from annual data returns on looked after children and care leavers, which are submitted by all 32 local authorities in Scotland. Some information at Glasgow and sub Glasgow level was extracted from Social Work Services monthly performance reports.

This indicator was selected to show the relatively high number of Glasgow children and young people requiring a high level of Social Work intervention, either being supervised while still living at home or living away from home, in the care of the authority, because their parents were not able to care for them.

Before 2010 looked after children statistics were reported at 31st March of the reporting year. From 2010, the reporting date has changed to 31st July, in order that the most recent SQA examination results can be reported timeously alongside these statistics.

Children on the Child Protection Register
This indicator reports information on the number of children on the Child Protection Register, aged 0 to 15 years. Estimates of the 0-15 years population are applied to calculate the relative measure of the number of children on the Child Protection Register per 1,000 population.

Data for this indicator at Scotland and Scottish local authority level, including Glasgow City Council, was sourced from the Scottish Government annual report on Children's Social Work Statistics. This report is compiled by the Scottish Government from annual data returns on children in the child protection system, which are submitted by all 32 local authorities in Scotland. Information on children from English local authority areas, including population estimates applied to calculate rates per 1,000 population (aged 0-15 years) was obtained from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Some information at Glasgow and sub Glasgow level was extracted from Social Work Services monthly performance reports.

This indicator is included because it is widely accepted as the core measure of the number of children considered to be at risk of abuse or harm.

Children and Homelessness
This indicator is derived from Homelessness Statistics tables produced from collation of a Scottish Government statistical return on homelessness (HL2), which is completed by all local authorities on a quarterly basis. Dependent children refers to “all children of 15 or less; and all others of 18 or less who are unable to support themselves, either as they are receiving or about to begin full time education or training or for some other reason.” Mid-year population estimates from the National Records of Scotland (NRS) have been applied to calculate the relative measure of the number of children in temporary accommodation per 1,000 population (aged 0 – 18 years).

There are other indicators that could have been used to highlight the number of children experiencing homelessness however the indicator used here - children living in temporary accommodation - was deemed to be the best measure available for this website.

Parental Substance Misuse
This issue is known to be a key contributory factor in the high number of children requiring social work intervention in Glasgow.

The indicator is a “Measure for Improved Performance” (MIP) sourced from the Social Work Services Annual Service Plan and Improvement Report 2011. It reports on the number of children (aged 0 – 18 years) supported by Social Work Services, who have one or more parent with a substance misuse problem.

This is a local statistic which is not available from other local authorities outwith Glasgow for comparison.