A residential unit, which houses young people who cannot live with their families and will soon become unfit for purpose, is to be replaced by Dundee City Council (writes Brian Allison, local government reporter).

SOCIAL work staff have raised major doubts over the recovery of their department – nearly three years after a damning inspection.

A DRUNK man who head-butted a social worker after turning up for an appointment the worse for alcohol has been fined £500. Kevin Lawniczak, 35, of Kelburn Street in Paisley, attacked Craig Smith when he was stopped from entering an office because he was in a drunken state.

A CARE home worker has been charged with seriously assaulting an elderly resident in Edinburgh. Joseph Sinja, 32, has appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on charges of “assault with sexual aggravation” following an alleged incident at the Ferrylee Care Home, on North Junction Street, on Sunday.

A report into social work services in West Dunbartonshire has made 13 recommendations for improvement. The Social Work Inspection Agency said the service delivered positive outcomes for many people, in particular children and adults with learning difficulties.

Charities yesterday called for greater choice for terminally ill patients after the first Scottish Government report of its kind revealed more than half of all cancer patients die in hospital.

THE family who ran a nursing home where 14 residents died in a fire have been accused of health and safety breaches. Thomas Balmer, wife Anne and son Alan are charged in connection with the blaze at Rosepark Care Home in Uddingston, Lanarkshire, on January 31, 2004.

CITY leader Jenny Dawe has paid tribute to city social workers. In her monthly leader’s report, Councillor Dawe said: “Child protection is an area where finely balanced decisions require to be taken and where, sadly, there is sometimes no margin for error.

Scots with hearing problems will now benefit from new national standards of service provision set in place for the first time in the UK.

Social work services in Argyll and Bute have significantly improved following a critical report from the national inspection agency.