Looked after children

Roles of the inspectorates

A close-up of a clipboard with a printed document attached being used at a school board meeting

Inspection of services is recognised as a driver for continuous improvement.

Inspections of services for looked after children and young people in Scotland are primarily conducted by:

These organisations often work together on inspections, and the Services for Children Unit within HMIE consists of staff from these three organisations as well as from NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC).

National Care Standards

The National Care Standards are published by the Scottish Government and are used by the Care Commission for its regulations and inspections.

The Standards are written from the service user’s point of view and describe what the user can expect of the service. They follow the care service user’s journey through the care service, from when they begin to use the service to when they move on from it. Users can be the young people themselves, prospective or current foster carers, or parents having respite care for their child.

The National Care Standards are used by the Care Commission along with provisions in the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 and regulations made under it.