Policy In Scotland Research Articles

FE and skills in Scotland: the implications of a policy led and ‘managed’ approach?

ABSTRACT This article considers the implications of a ‘managed’ approach to skills policy in Scotland, in which Government policy and the role of national institutional frameworks can be seen to be influential, and which contrasts with the more marketised approach which has been a central aspect of policy in England. A number of themes within these national policies are discussed, and the continuing importance of balancing the skills agenda with social inclusion is noted. The ways in which these national policies and frameworks have shaped provision in a number of key areas including apprenticeship programmes, changing patterns of participation and relationships with employers are then examined. The strengths and limitations of the distinctive approaches taken in Scotland will be analysed in terms of their contribution to meeting the changing educational training needs of the workforce in the twenty-first century. This consideration of the distinctive policy led and ‘managed’ approach to the skills agenda will provide the context in which to consider the opportunities for policy learning within the UK.

Factors affecting Modern Apprenticeship completion in Scotland

Completing an apprenticeship has been shown to be critical to an individual’s future employment, earnings and career development when compared with apprentices who do not complete. International research, notably in England, Australia and Germany, has identified factors specific to the apprentice, employer and training provision that are associated with a higher chance of completion. However, to date, there has been no comparable research in Scotland, which operates its own distinct and well‐established apprenticeship system. Based on the factors identified in other countries, logistic regression was conducted on records of apprenticeship leavers in Scotland, covering the period from 2007 to 2015. Data for a total of 78,952 leavers were analysed, consisting of 59,737 completers and 19,215 non‐completers. It was found that women are more likely to complete an apprenticeship than men, while those from deprived areas are less likely to complete. Apprentices employed by a large employer, those receiving training from public sector organizations and those studying for selected technical subjects are more likely to complete, as are apprentices living in an area with a high local unemployment rate. The paper considers the reasons why some apprentices are more likely to complete than others and discusses the implications for apprenticeship policy in Scotland and beyond.

Unleashing workplace innovation in Scotland

The devolution of certain powers from the UK to an elected Scottish Parliament has opened a different trajectory for economic development and industrial policy in Scotland. Low productivity is a problem prevalent throughout the UK, but Scotland is unique in addressing it through a portfolio of measures designed to enhance the spread of workplace innovation. This article is based on multiple cases from a pilot programme which supported workplace innovation in cohorts of companies representing diverse sectors and sizes. It reports a wide range of successful outcomes for the participating companies and their employees, as well as lessons for the design of future programmes.

Influencing policy in Scotland with the BPS

BPS Scotland ChairElizabeth F.S. Hannah& BPS Policy AdvisorNigel Atterprovide a comprehensive summary of BPS engagement with Scottish Parliament, and the priorities for the year ahead. The DCP is keen to promote engagement with policy and supports working groups on issues that members are keen to prioritise.

The Evolution of Sustainable Development in Scotland—A Case Study of Community Right-to-Buy Law and Policy 2003–2018

Effective ownership, management and access to land are central for sustainable development and can impact significantly on the opportunities for local enterprise. In 1998, Scotland’s Land Reform Policy Group concluded that ‘Land reform is needed on the grounds of fairness and to secure the public good’ Consequently, Scotland has introduced various schemes that facilitate or compel the transfer of land from an existing landowner to a community body. Sustainable development is a primary objective of all these regimes making them exceptional both in UK and global terms and worthy of in depth examination. This article critically explores how the laws and policies relating to sustainable development within these community right-to-buy regimes have matured and evolved from their introduction in 2003 to the present. It reveals the beginning of a fourth era in sustainable development policy in Scotland which moves away from a single ‘one size fits all’ approach to one where both sustainable development itself and wider sustainable development equations are tailored to land-use in Scotland and to the needs of each of the different community right-to-buy regimes. These developments evidence a significant maturity in the implementation and delivery of sustainable development in Scotland.

"A Lot of People Are Struggling Privately. They Don't Know Where to Go or They're Not Sure of What to Do": Frontline Service Provider Perspectives of the Nature of Household Food Insecurity in Scotland.

This qualitative study explored frontline service providers’ perceptions of the nature of food insecurity in Scotland in 2015 to inform national policy and the provision of locally-based support for ‘at risk’ groups. A country-wide in-depth interview study was undertaken with informants from 25 health, social care, and third sector organisations. The study investigated informants’ perspectives associated with how food insecurity was manifesting itself locally, and what was happening at the local level in response to the existence of food insecurity. Data analysis revealed three key themes. First, the multiple faces and factors of food insecurity involving not only increased concern for previously recognised ‘at risk of food insecurity’ groups, but also similar concern held about newly food insecure groups including working families, young people and women. Secondly, respondents witnessed stoicism and struggle, but also resistance amongst some food insecure individuals to external offers of help. The final theme identified community participation yet pessimism associated with addressing current and future needs of food insecure groups. These findings have important implications for the design and delivery of health and social policy in Scotland and other countries facing similar challenges.

Impact of income-based policies on population health and health inequalities in Scotland: a modelling study

BackgroundImproving health and reducing health inequalities are important joint policy objectives. Income is a key social determinant of health, but robust evidence about the relative impacts of redistributive policies is rare. In a modelling study, we aimed to assess the effects on population health and health inequalities of income-based policies in Scotland. MethodsEUROMOD, a detailed tax–benefit microsimulation model, was used to estimate income change for a representative sample of Scottish households from the Family Resources Survey 2014–15 (n=2871). Income change was estimated for each quintile of the 2016 Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. Triple I, a health inequalities scenario modelling tool, was used to estimate projected impacts of income-based policies, including two Citizen Basic Income (CBI) schemes (basic scheme and one with additional payments for disabled) on premature mortality (<75 years) and inequalities after 5 years, compared with baseline. Implications for government revenue were also estimated. FindingsThe best policies for achieving both policy objectives were increases to means-tested benefits (−4·1% premature mortality, −21·7% Relative Index of Inequality [RII]), increases to benefits devolved to the Scottish Government (−1·6%, −6·1%), and the introduction of a mandatory living wage (−2·2%, −5·2%). The increase in household incomes in the most deprived areas under these three policies was ten, five, and three times higher than in the least deprived areas, respectively. The CBI schemes had a substantial narrowing effect on inequalities (−11·5% RII basic scheme, −17·9% CBI with additional payments), and a modest effect on premature mortality (−0·3%, −0·8%). Increases to benefits were most cost-effective at improving health, whereas the CBI policies were most cost-effective at reducing inequalities. InterpretationPolicies that affect incomes have the potential for substantial effects on health and health inequalities in Scotland. We estimated that the most effective policies for reducing health inequalities were those that disproportionately increased incomes in the most deprived areas. The modelling is subject to various assumptions and sources of uncertainty, but nonetheless highlights the importance of applying an inequalities lens to income-based policy options. FundingNone.

Community Business in Scotland: An Alternative Vision of 'Enterprise Culture', 1979-97.

The force and coherency with which Margaret Thatcher and her inner circle outlined their vision for 'enterprise culture', like so many aspects of Thatcherism, have masked the complexity of its origins and the histories of alternative responses. This article provides a history of an alternative vision for enterprise culture by examining the community business movement in Scotland, the largest experiment of its kind in the UK in the 1980s and a forerunner of social enterprise. Working across Scotland, but with a hub of activity in the Strathclyde region, practitioners worked with local people to find ways to develop their neighbourhood economy while improving their environment, creating jobs, and developing services needed in their area. This article outlines the origins of the movement, the shared values of its founding members, and how their training in community development informed the community business model. It analyses how practitioners put their ideas into practice and the reasons behind the fragmentation of the movement in the 1990s. It argues that although at face value the concept of community business may appear to chime with the dominant political rhetoric of Thatcher's 'enterprise culture', the history of the movement provides a signpost to an alternative, if unrealised, vision for Scotland's recovery from social and economic depression. Where previous historical research has focused on the political consequences of Thatcher's policies in Scotland, this research connects this discussion to the transformation of Scotland's civic society in the wake of deindustrialization.

Feminising Politics to Close the Evidence‐Policy Gap: The Case of Social Policy in Scotland

AbstractPolicy studies suggest that scientists should adopt two strategies to close the ‘evidence‐policy gap’. First, engage in political debates to help define policy problems and solutions rather than expect the evidence to speak for itself. Second, learn where the action is, form long‐term coalitions, and exploit the ‘rules of the game’ to maximise your influence in complex policy‐making systems. Both lessons can prompt major dilemmas, for many actors, about going beyond your expertise and comfort zone when engaging politically and pragmatically. Scientists should learn from feminist social policy actors who routinely (a) combine evidence with engagement to pursue social change, and (b) face tough choices about framing their aims in terms of the dominant political discourse. We use Scottish social policy as a case study, examining how feminist actors exploited the opportunity, afforded by constitutional and political reforms since 1999, to create a collaborative ‘velvet triangle’ between the government, academia, and interest groups. Their experience suggests that limited and slow policy change requires major engagement and compromise.

Language Provision in Education: A View from Scotland

A tension between mobility and inclusion can be seen in public sector attempts to respond to the increasingly multilingual nature of the Scottish population. Increased mobility has contributed to greater linguistic diversity, which has led to growing demand for multilingual public services. Legal instruments and education policy in Scotland provide a promising framework in terms of promoting language learning and multilingualism, but implementation is not always successful and responding to linguistic diversity among pupils is beset with challenges. This article will consider some of these challenges, both practical and attitudinal, reflecting on language teaching in Scotland and on issues raised during interviews with officials from the English as an additional language (EAL) services in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Language teaching often does not take into account the linguistic diversity present—despite the opportunity for a more inclusive approach offered by Scottish Government strategy—and this risks reinforcing negative beliefs about significant allochthonous languages in Scotland. In these circumstances, meeting the linguistic needs of increasingly multilingual school populations in an inclusive way is a challenging task.

‘Just a wee boy not cut out for prison’: Policy and reality in children and young people’s journeys through justice in Scotland

Youth Justice policy in Scotland, under the ‘Whole System Approach’ (WSA), progressively espouses maximum diversion, minimum intervention and the use of alternatives to custody wherever possible. Yet Scotland still has one of the highest imprisonment rates in Europe. To explore this discrepancy, this qualitative study used individual interviews and focus groups to document the experiences of 14 young males aged 16 and 17 in one Scottish young offenders’ institution on their journeys to custody. Their experiences reveal the significant challenges faced in understanding, navigating and complying with the justice system, and also indicate that the consistent implementation of WSA is problematic. The disconnection between the intentions of the WSA policy and the practical implementation means that these vulnerable young people are not fully benefiting from the WSA. This article therefore highlights important gaps between policy, practice and lived experience in youth justice in Scotland.

What Is the Benefit of Community Benefits? Exploring Local Perceptions of the Provision of Community Benefits from a Commercial Wind Energy Project

ABSTRACTWhere community ownership of renewable energy projects is not feasible, there remains potential for residents to profit from locally sited projects through a ‘community benefits’ package from a commercial developer, usually as an annual cash payment to a community organisation. Despite support from policy-makers and developers for community benefit packages, the relationship between the benefit package and acceptance of renewable energy projects is not straightforward. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with local residents and other community actors near a wind development in central Scotland, this paper examines the ‘process’ and ‘outcome’ dimensions of the design and provision of community benefits, and considers how the relationship between these two dimensions affects local perceptions of the benefit of community benefits. Analysis of interviewees’ perceptions of the community engagement ‘process’ at the planning stage and the community benefit package ‘outcome’ reveals how a poorly defined engagement process, combined with a benefits package that is not deemed suitable for the needs of the community, can lead to negative perceptions of the project, even when these were initially positive. These findings have implications for renewable energy policy in Scotland, particularly as there is currently no legal obligation for developers to consult communities on community benefit arrangements.

The level of provision of specialist palliative care services in Scotland: an international benchmarking study

ObjectivesComparative benchmarking of specialist palliative care (SPC) services across jurisdictions can be used to assess the adequacy of provision. Published in 2016, the Scottish Atlas of Palliative Care unlocks the...

Findings from the 2016 Active Healthy Kids Scotland Report Card

The Active Healthy Kids Scotland Report Card provides a comprehensive assessment on the physical activity and health of Scottish children and adolescents. PURPOSE: To summarize the report card grades; to identify changes in report card grades since the previous report card published in 2013; to critique Scottish surveillance of physical activity and health in children and young people. METHODS: Report card grades were assigned to 10 indicators related to physical activity and health (7 behavioral indicators and 3 policy and environment indicators). Grades were based on Scottish data which were: recent (published after the 2013 card), derived from nationally representative samples and affected by minimal bias, and determined by the percentage of Scottish children and adolescents meeting an evidence-based benchmark: A is 81% to 100%; B is 61% to 80%; C is 41% to 60%, D is 21% to 40%; F is 0% to 20%; INC is Incomplete data combined with lack of an evidence-based recommendation. Grades were assigned a ‘+’ if trends had improved since the last report card and a ‘-‘ if there was a marked socio-economic inequality in the indicator. RESULTS: Overall Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior and Obesity received F or F- grades. Active Outdoor Play and Organised Sport Participation were graded as INC. Active Transportation to School/Nursery was graded C, and Diet D-. Family and Peer Influence was graded as D-. Community and the Built Environment, and National Policy were both graded B. Issues with measurement and reporting of several physical activity indicators were identified: no surveillance of moderate to vigorous physical activity in children, no surveillance of active outdoor play and sports participation in children or adolescents, and summary surveillance data not reported in line with evidence-based recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: Grades were similar to those in 2013. Scotland has a favorable environment for physical activity, but children and adolescents have low physical activity and high screen-based sedentary behavior. Better surveillance of physical activity and health in Scottish children and adolescents is required and would encourage more evidence-informed physical activity and health policy in Scotland in future.

The gender ‘gap’ in attainment: the Scottish policy perspective

The ‘gender gap’ in attainment is an issue in Scotland but is also an international phenomenon. In Scotland, this gap continues to be apparent as girls outperform boys in national examinations. This raises challenges for those working in schools and for policymakers in responding to this phenomenon. This article focuses on appraising critically the policy context of gender and, more specifically, attainment within Scotland from the perspective of the national education system, and from the perspective of Scotland being part of the UK, and consequently being subject to UK-wide and European legislation on equality. Attainment data is presented to set this phenomenon in a national and international context and serves to show that the gap is most significant for academically able boys, rather than all boys. The policy examined for this article suggests that the focus has been on all boys rather than considering which groups of boys and girls. In most recent policies in Scotland and the UK there appears to be a ‘gender blindness’ with gender being subsumed into inclusion and diversity. The article concludes by raising some questions for those influencing and making policy if there is to be a deeper understanding of gender, the gender gap and how this is to inform practice.

Science and innovation dynamics and policy in Scotland: The perceived impact of enhanced autonomy

Abstract The Scottish referendum of 2014 encouraged massive public debate, including on Scotland’s scientific performance and ability to harness innovation and increase global competitiveness. The science base in Scotland has traditionally been strong but has not translated well into innovation. This article uses statistical data, over 30 interviews and two workshops with business and policy leaders, to analyse key scientific and industrial innovation dynamics, using a regional innovation systems (RIS) approach. It investigates the perceived impact of increased autonomy on the dynamics of the Scottish innovation system (SIS). The article shows the weak relationship between science and innovation, and evidences the static nature of Scottish innovation policy geared to bridging a gap rather than improving the dynamics of the various elements in the innovation system. It suggests that an approach which aims to spur evolution in specific elements of the territorial governance system would strengthen Scottish innovation capabilities.

Public attitudes towards alcohol control policies in Scotland and England: Results from a mixed-methods study

The harmful effects of heavy drinking on health have been widely reported, yet public opinion on governmental responsibility for alcohol control remains divided. This study examines UK public attitudes towards alcohol policies, identifies underlying dimensions that inform these, and relationships with perceived effectiveness. A cross-sectional mixed methods study involving a telephone survey of 3477 adult drinkers aged 16–65 and sixteen focus groups with 89 adult drinkers in Scotland and England was conducted between September 2012 and February 2013. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used to reduce twelve policy statements into underlying dimensions. These dimensions were used in linear regression models examining alcohol policy support by demographics, drinking behaviour and perceptions of UK drinking and government responsibility. Findings were supplemented with a thematic analysis of focus group transcripts. A majority of survey respondents supported all alcohol policies, although the level of support varied by type of policy. Greater enforcement of laws on under-age sales and more police patrolling the streets were strongly supported while support for pricing policies and restricting access to alcohol was more divided. PCA identified four main dimensions underlying support on policies: alcohol availability, provision of health information and treatment services, alcohol pricing, and greater law enforcement. Being female, older, a moderate drinker, and holding a belief that government should do more to reduce alcohol harms were associated with higher support on all policy dimensions. Focus group data revealed findings from the survey may have presented an overly positive level of support on all policies due to differences in perceived policy effectiveness. Perceived effectiveness can help inform underlying patterns of policy support and should be considered in conjunction with standard measures of support in future research on alcohol control policies.

Молодежная политика Шотландии в контексте проблемы регионализации британской государственности

In the article features of formation and essential features of youth policy in Scotland are considered in the context of the problem of regionalization of British statehood. The authors show that the Scottish youth policy in its development shares much of the English experience. Nevertheless, according to the authors, Scotland, in its approaches to the solution of most sociopolitical tasks (including work with young people), differs from England (meaningfully even more than sometimes can be seen in outward manifestations). In the article, the authors analyzed the differences that characterize the Scottish experience of youth policy, and which are the specific contribution of Scotland specifically to the tradition of working with young people. The authors’ conclusion is that the combination of youth work with adult education, as well as with the tasks of developing opportunities for socially vulnerable groups of the population, allowed to form their own national practice within the framework of the youth policy of Scotland. In addition, the authors conclude that the constant stability of the Scottish electoral system with its left bias and the steady political agenda on social inequality contributed to the specificity of Scotland’s youth policy. In the opinion of the authors, when the obvious disintegration of the system of working with young people began in England, the Scottish government supports all social institutions aimed at implementing the youth policy, which promotes the popularity of the ideas of Scotland’s national self-determination and independence in the ranks of young Scots.

SimAlba: A Spatial Microsimulation Approach to the Analysis of Health Inequalities.

This paper presents applied geographical research based on a spatial microsimulation model, SimAlba, aimed at estimating geographically sensitive health variables in Scotland. SimAlba has been developed in order to answer a variety of “what-if” policy questions pertaining to health policy in Scotland. Using the SimAlba model, it is possible to simulate the distributions of previously unknown variables at the small area level such as smoking, alcohol consumption, mental well-being, and obesity. The SimAlba microdataset has been created by combining Scottish Health Survey and Census data using a deterministic reweighting spatial microsimulation algorithm developed for this purpose. The paper presents SimAlba outputs for Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, and examines the spatial distribution of the simulated variables for small geographical areas in Glasgow as well as the effects on individuals of different policy scenario outcomes. In simulating previously unknown spatial data, a wealth of new perspectives can be examined and explored. This paper explores a small set of those potential avenues of research and shows the power of spatial microsimulation modeling in an urban context.

Getting It Right for Every Child: A National Policy Framework to Promote Children's Well-being in Scotland, United Kingdom.

Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC), a landmark policy framework for improving children's well-being in Scotland, United Kingdom, is a practice initiative signifying a distinct way of thinking, an agenda for change, and the future direction of child welfare policy. GIRFEC represents a unique case study of national transformative change within the contexts of children's well-being and universal services and is of relevance to other jurisdictions. Implementation is under way, with an understanding of well-being and the requirement for information sharing enshrined in law. Yet there is scope for interpretation within the legislation and associated guidance. Inherent tensions around intrusion, data gathering, professional roles, and balancing well-being against child protection threaten the effectiveness of the policy if not resolved. Despite persistent health inequalities and intergenerational deprivation, the Scottish government aspires for Scotland to be the best country for children to grow up in. Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) is a landmark children's policy framework to improve children's well-being via early intervention, universal service provision, and multiagency coordination across organizational boundaries. Placing the child and family "at the center," this approach marks a shift from welfare to well-being, yet there is still a general lack of consensus over how well-being is defined and measured. As an umbrella policy framework with broad reach, GIRFEC represents the current and future direction of children's/family policy in Scotland, yet large-scale practice change is required for successful implementation. This article explores the origins and emergence of GIRFEC and presents a critical analysis of its incremental design, development, and implementation. There is considerable scope for interpretation within the GIRFEC legislation and guidance, most notably around assessment of well-being and the role and remit of those charged with implementation. Tensions have arisen around issues such as professional roles; intrusion, data sharing, and confidentiality; and the balance between supporting well-being and protecting children. Despite the policy's intentions for integration, the service landscape for children and families still remains relatively fragmented. Although the policy has groundbreaking potential, inherent tensions must be resolved and the processes of change carefully managed in order for GIRFEC to be effective. It remains to be seen whether GIRFEC can fulfil the Scottish government's aspirations to reduce inequalities and improve lifelong outcomes for Scotland's children and young people. In terms of both a national children's well-being framework within a universal public service context and a distinct style of policymaking and implementation, the Scottish experience represents a unique case study of whole-country, transformational change and is of relevance to other jurisdictions.