Looked after children

The Council has a legal duty, under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, to safeguard and develop the welfare of children wherever possible in their home and community.

However, there are times when a child's interests are best met by providing care outwith the family home. The Children's Panel and the Sheriff Court can make legal orders that require the Council to look after and accommodate children. Parents, in partnership with Social Work, can also agree that it would be in a child's interests for them to be cared for in a children's unit or in a foster placement for a period of time.