OpenLegislation

Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 in Wales

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. 86Adjustments between authority providing accommodation etc., and authority of area of residence.
  36. 87Charges that may be made for services and accommodation.
  37. Supplementary
  38. 95Minor and consequential amendments, repeals and savings.
  39. 98Commencement.
  40. Schedule 2: Amendment of Part IV of the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937
  41. General Adaptations
  42. 2Paragraph 2
  43. Part II: Specific Adaptations
  44. 7Paragraph 7
  45. Schedule 3: Children’s Panels
  46. 1Paragraph 1
  47. 2Paragraph 2
  48. 3AParagraph 3A
  49. 4Paragraph 4
  50. 5Paragraph 5
  51. 5AParagraph 5A
  52. 5BParagraph 5B
  53. 6Paragraph 6
  54. 8Paragraph 8
  55. 1Paragraph 1
  56. 2Paragraph 2
  57. 3Paragraph 3
  58. 4Paragraph 4
  59. 5Paragraph 5
  60. Registration of existing establishments
  61. 1Paragraph 1
  62. Approved schools
  63. 2Paragraph 2
  64. Contributions in respect of children taken into care
  65. 3Paragraph 3
  66. Approved school orders, fit person orders, and supervision orders
  67. 4Paragraph 4
  68. Jurisdiction of courts
  69. 5Paragraph 5
  70. Remand Home Grant
  71. 7Paragraph 7
  72. Probation Grant
  73. 8Paragraph 8
  74. Interpretation
  75. 9Paragraph 9
  76. Schedule 8: Minor and Consequential Amendments
  77. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  78. Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937
  79. 6Paragraph 6
  80. 7Paragraph 7
  81. 8Paragraph 8
  82. 9Paragraph 9
  83. 10Paragraph 10
  84. National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1947
  85. 11Paragraph 11
  86. 12Paragraph 12
  87. 13Paragraph 13
  88. National Assistance Act 1948
  89. 14Paragraph 14
  90. 15Paragraph 15 Repealed
  91. 16Paragraph 16
  92. 17Paragraph 17 Repealed
  93. 18Paragraph 18 Repealed
  94. 19Paragraph 19 Repealed
  95. Nurseries and Child-Minders Regulation Act 1948
  96. 20Paragraph 20 Repealed
  97. 21Paragraph 21 Repealed
  98. 22—31Paragraph 22—31 Repealed
  99. Maintenance Orders Act 1950
  100. 32Paragraph 32
  101. 33Paragraph 33
  102. 34Paragraph 34
  103. 35Paragraph 35 Repealed
  104. Valuation and Rating (Scotland) Act 1956
  105. 36Paragraph 36 Repealed
  106. Adoption Act 1958
  107. 37Paragraph 37
  108. 38Paragraph 38
  109. 39Paragraph 39
  110. 40Paragraph 40
  111. 41Paragraph 41
  112. Matrimonial Proceedings (Children) Act 1958
  113. 42Paragraph 42
  114. 43Paragraph 43
  115. 44—47Paragraph 44—47 Repealed
  116. 48, 49Paragraph 48, 49 Repealed
  117. 50Paragraph 50 Repealed
  118. 51—59Paragraph 51—59 Repealed
  119. Health Visiting and Social Work (Training) Act 1962
  120. 60Paragraph 60
  121. 61, 62Paragraph 61, 62 Repealed
  122. 63, 64Paragraph 63, 64 Repealed
  123. 65—67Paragraph 65—67 Repealed
  124. Children and Young Persons Act 1963
  125. 68Paragraph 68
  126. 69—72Paragraph 69—72 Repealed
  127. Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Scotland) Act 1965
  128. 73Paragraph 73
  129. 74Paragraph 74 Repealed
  130. Schedule 9: Enactments Repealed
  131. IIRepeals Extending to England and Wales