To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what evaluation his Department has undertaken of individual social services department's (a) policy and (b) psychiatric services in relation to children excluded from school.[77146]

Although social services departments may have an interest in school exclusions, education authorities are responsible for exclusion of pupils from schools in their area and have continuing responsibilities towards pupils who are excluded. There has therefore been no evaluation specifically of individual social services departments' policies in this area but research was commissioned on exclusions from school by the Scottish Office from Moray House Institute of Education. The research reported in 1997 and found that there were differing practices and policies in authorities. National guidelines were therefore issued in April 1998 which stressed the need for a consistent approach and highlighted best practice.There has been no central evaluation of psychiatric services specifically in relation to children excluded from school.