A quality framework for mainstream boarding schools and school hostels, including key question 7
The primary purpose of this quality framework is to support services to evaluate their own performance.
It is also used by inspectors to provide independent assurance about the quality of care and support. By setting out what we expect to see in a high-quality service, we can also help support improvement.
Our children and young people’s inspection teams began using key question 7 in April 2022. As part of everyone's journey to meet the Promise, we reviewed key question 7 with inspectors, young people who experience or have experienced care and providers to evaluate the impact it was having and how well it was supporting the sector to self-evaluate its own performance. We have made some changes as a result of this review and agreed that we continue to use key question 7 for inspections from April 2024 onwards.
Key improvement resources for Key Question 7
The Health and Social Care Standards
Information from the Scottish Human Rights Commission
Guidance for Care Providers in Scotland using CCTV
Guidance for the Regulation of Guardianship Arrangements in Boarding Schools
Learning in Care (Education Scotland and Care Inspectorate)
National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2021 - updated 2023
Child Sexual Exploitation: Definition and Practitioner Briefing Paper (Scottish Government)
Notifications about Controlled Drugs: Guidance for Providers
Guidance for providers on personal planning, children and young people
Safe Administration of Medication: Modules 1-3 (SSSC)
National infection prevention and control manual and handwashing video
An Independent Guide to Quality Care for Autistic People (National Autistic Taskforce)
Animal Magic: The benefits of being around and caring for animals across care settings
Creating a Tobacco Free Culture (Care Inspectorate and ASH Scotland)
Insights: Achieving Effective Supervision (IRISS)
Supervision learning resource (SSSC)
The Model for Improvement and associated resources
Organisational Duty of Candour (Scottish Government)
National Occupational Standards (NOS)
Information Commissioner’s Guide to data protection, including GDPR
Safer Recruitment Through Better Recruitment (SSSC and Care Inspectorate)
The National Health and Social Care Workforce Plan
Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers and Employers (SSSC)
The Framework for Continuous Learning in Social Services (SSSC)
Common Core Skills and National Occupational Standards (SSSC)
Insights: Achieving Effective Supervision (IRISS)
Information about health and safety at work
Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, asp 8
Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, asp 8
Understanding Personal Outcomes (SSSC)
Parental rights and responsibilities under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 (Scottish Government)
National infection prevention and control manual and handwashing video
An Independent Guide to Quality Care for Autistic People (National Autistic Taskforce)
The Model for Improvement and associated resources (Care Inspectorate)