AN ABERDEEN social work boss today said a community service sentences are not a soft option for criminals. And Aberdeen City Council’s manager of criminal justice insisted the punishment was shown to work.

A group of north-east pensioners and their carers returning from a theme-park trip had a lucky escape yesterday when their minibus left a rural road and crashed into a tree.

RADICAL plans have been unveiled to cut by more than half the number of elderly Borderers with health problems living in care and nursing homes or long-stay hospital beds, writes Andrew Keddie.

COUNCIL leader Iain Robertson has hit out at inspectors for failing to fully recognise the outstanding performance of West Dunbartonshire’s social work and education services.

A SOCIAL worker who was responsible for the welfare of some of Clydebank’s most vulnerable children is facing serious allegations of misconduct.

A critical report says Stirling Council needs to make important changes to its social care delivery. The Social Work Inspection Agency report said the council needed to improve services for children, the elderly and the disabled.

One of Scotland’s biggest charities, which cares for vulnerable children, has threatened to dismiss all of its 2000 workers unless they agree to cuts in wages and conditions, according to a trade union.

An independent report into the death of 23-month-old Brandon Muir is to be made public within days of it being received, Dundee City Council has said.

Police in Scotland have brought almost 500 rape charges against children and teenagers under the age of 18 in the past five years.

George Galloway has lent his support to a new government vetting system for those working with youngsters – and said that he himself was a victim of child abuse.