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Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 in Northern Ireland

1968 c. 49 · Enacted 26 July 1968 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 10 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 7 January 2026.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
s. 87AinsertedAdult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 s. 66
s. 27(2)words substitutedCriminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 Sch. para. 3(b)
s. 87(1)words insertedCare Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 s. 8(15)(a)
s. 87(1A)(a)words insertedCare Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 s. 8(15)(b)
s. 4words insertedChildren (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Act 2026 s. 17(5)
s. 4words insertedChildren (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Act 2026 s. 7(2)
s. 12(2B)substitutedNationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 s. 46(1)
s. 13A(5)substitutedNationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 s. 46(2)
s. 13B(4)substitutedNationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 s. 46(3)
s. 78(2A)words repealedWelfare Reform Act 2012 Sch. 14 Pt. 1

An Act to make further provision for promoting social welfare in Scotland; to consolidate with amendments certain enactments relating to the care and protection of children; to amend the law relating to the supervision and care of persons put on probation or released from prison etc.; to restrict the prosecution of children for offences; to establish children’s panels to provide children’s hearings in the case of children requiring compulsory measures of care; and for purposes connected with the aforesaid matters.

[26th July 1968]C1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8C9

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act modified (1.6.1996) by Armed Forces Act 1991 (c. 62, SIF 7:1), s. 21(4)(b); S.I. 1996/1173, art. 2

Act: certain functions transferred (1.4.1996) by 1994 c. 39, s. 127(1) (with s. 128); S.I. 1996/323, art. 4(1)(a), Sch. 1

C2

By Criminal Justice Act 1991 (c. 53, SIF 39:1), S. 101(1), Sch. 12 para. 23; S.I. 1991/2208, art. 2(1), Sch.1 it is provided (14.10.1991) that in relation to any time before the commencement of s. 70 of that 1991 Act (which came into force on 1.10.1992 by S.I. 1992/333, art. 2(2), Sch. 2) references in any enactment amended by that 1991 Act, to youth courts shall be construed as references to juvenile courts.

C3

Act: power to modify conferred (12.12.1996 for certain purposes and otherwise 1.4.1997) by 1995 c. 36, s. 33(5)(a) (with ss. 99, 103(1)); S.I. 1996/3201, art. 3(1)(7) (which art. 3(7) was substituted (7.3.1997) by S.I. 1997/744, art. 2 (with transitional provisions inserted into S.I. 1996/3201 by art. 3))

Act: power to modify conferred (S.) (prosp.) by Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 5), ss. {5(2)}, 27(2)

C4

Act applied (with modifications) (1.10.2010) by The Employment and Support Allowance (Transitional Provisions, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit) (Existing Awards) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/875), regs. 1(2), 16, Sch. 2 (which amending S.I. was revoked (27.8.2010) by SI 2010/1906, reg. 2)

C5

Act applied (with modifications) (1.10.2010) by The Employment and Support Allowance (Transitional Provisions, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit) (Existing Awards) (No. 2) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/1907), reg. 16(2)(c), Sch. 2

C6

Act: power to modify conferred (24.6.2013) by Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 1), ss. 190(2)(b)(i), 206(2) (with s. 186); S.S.I. 2013/195, arts. 2, 3

C7

Act: power to modify conferred (11.5.2015) by Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 5), ss. 5(2), 27(2); S.S.I. 2015/179, art. 2(1)

C8

Act: power to modify conferred (1.9.2025) by 2011 asp 1, s. 190(2A) (as substituted by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 29(2)(b), 38(3); S.S.I. 2025/115, reg. 2(2)(c))

C9

Act: power to modify conferred (1.9.2025) by 1995 c. 36, s. 33A (as inserted by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 30(2), 38(3); S.S.I. 2025/115, reg. 2(2)(d))

Contents

  1. Performance of their duties by local authorities
  2. 5ZANational Chief Social Work Adviser and National Social Work Agency
  3. 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  4. Research, training courses and financial and other assistance
  5. 8Research.
  6. Acquisition of land
  7. 12AZAAssessments under section 12A: assistance
  8. 13ZAProvision of services to incapable adults
  9. Residential accommodation with nursing.
  10. Provision of care and after-care
  11. Home help
  12. 14Home help and laundry facilities.
  13. Special provisions as to the care of children in need
  14. 19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  15. 27ZAAdvice, guidance and assistance to persons arrested or on whom sentence deferred
  16. 53. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  17. Provision of residential and other establishments
  18. 59AGrants in respect of secure accommodation for children.
  19. Part V
  20. Absence without leave
  21. 69Abscondment from a place of safety, or from the control of a person imposed by a supervision requirement.
  22. 70Abscondment from residential establishments.
  23. 71Harbouring.
  24. Transfer
  25. 72Supervision of children moving to England or Wales or Northern Ireland.
  26. 73Supervision of children moving to Scotland.
  27. 74Parent of a child in a residential establishment under a supervision requirement moving to England or Wales or Northern Ireland.
  28. 75Parent of a child subject to an approved school order or a committal order moving to Scotland.
  29. 76Procedure.
  30. 77Meaning of child for the purposes of this Part of this Act.
  31. 81Provisions as to decrees for aliment.
  32. 83AReferences in this Part of this Act to child being looked after.
  33. Part VII: Miscellaneous and General
  34. General
  35. Supplementary
  36. 95Minor and consequential amendments, repeals and savings.
  37. General Adaptations
  38. 2Paragraph 2
  39. Part II: Specific Adaptations
  40. 7Paragraph 7
  41. Schedule 3: Children’s Panels
  42. 1Paragraph 1
  43. 2Paragraph 2
  44. 3AParagraph 3A
  45. 4Paragraph 4
  46. 5Paragraph 5
  47. 5AParagraph 5A
  48. 5BParagraph 5B
  49. 6Paragraph 6
  50. 8Paragraph 8
  51. 1Paragraph 1
  52. 2Paragraph 2
  53. 3Paragraph 3
  54. 4Paragraph 4
  55. 5Paragraph 5
  56. Registration of existing establishments
  57. 1Paragraph 1
  58. Approved schools
  59. 2Paragraph 2
  60. Contributions in respect of children taken into care
  61. 3Paragraph 3
  62. Approved school orders, fit person orders, and supervision orders
  63. 4Paragraph 4
  64. Jurisdiction of courts
  65. 5Paragraph 5
  66. Remand Home Grant
  67. 7Paragraph 7
  68. Probation Grant
  69. 8Paragraph 8
  70. Interpretation
  71. 9Paragraph 9
  72. Schedule 8: Minor and Consequential Amendments
  73. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  74. Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937
  75. 6Paragraph 6
  76. 7Paragraph 7
  77. 8Paragraph 8
  78. 9Paragraph 9
  79. 10Paragraph 10
  80. National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1947
  81. 11Paragraph 11
  82. 12Paragraph 12
  83. 13Paragraph 13
  84. National Assistance Act 1948
  85. 14Paragraph 14
  86. 15Paragraph 15 Repealed
  87. 16Paragraph 16
  88. 17Paragraph 17 Repealed
  89. 18Paragraph 18 Repealed
  90. 19Paragraph 19 Repealed
  91. Nurseries and Child-Minders Regulation Act 1948
  92. 20Paragraph 20 Repealed
  93. 21Paragraph 21 Repealed
  94. 22—31Paragraph 22—31 Repealed
  95. Maintenance Orders Act 1950
  96. 32Paragraph 32
  97. 33Paragraph 33
  98. 34Paragraph 34
  99. 35Paragraph 35 Repealed
  100. Valuation and Rating (Scotland) Act 1956
  101. 36Paragraph 36 Repealed
  102. Adoption Act 1958
  103. 37Paragraph 37
  104. 38Paragraph 38
  105. 39Paragraph 39
  106. 40Paragraph 40
  107. 41Paragraph 41
  108. Matrimonial Proceedings (Children) Act 1958
  109. 42Paragraph 42
  110. 43Paragraph 43
  111. 44—47Paragraph 44—47 Repealed
  112. 48, 49Paragraph 48, 49 Repealed
  113. 50Paragraph 50 Repealed
  114. 51—59Paragraph 51—59 Repealed
  115. Health Visiting and Social Work (Training) Act 1962
  116. 60Paragraph 60
  117. 61, 62Paragraph 61, 62 Repealed
  118. 63, 64Paragraph 63, 64 Repealed
  119. 65—67Paragraph 65—67 Repealed
  120. Children and Young Persons Act 1963
  121. 68Paragraph 68
  122. 69—72Paragraph 69—72 Repealed
  123. Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Scotland) Act 1965
  124. 73Paragraph 73
  125. 74Paragraph 74 Repealed
  126. IIRepeals Extending to England and Wales