Section 4 - Activity following inquiries

Actions taken following inquiries

The purpose of an inquiry (with or without the use of investigatory powers) is to ascertain whether adults are at risk, and whether the local authority may need to intervene in order to protect the person's wellbeing, property or financial affairs. This indicator collects data on the outcomes of the inquiries undertaken with or without investigatory powers. The following options are collected through the ASP NMDS:

• Does not meet the three-point criteria – no further action
• Does not meet the three-point criteria – non-ASP support offered or provided
• Meets three-point criteria — non-ASP support provided or offered
• Meets three-point criteria – ongoing ASP work
• Meets three-point criteria — no opportunity for further ASP intervention
• Pending / Unknown

The full definitions can be found in the glossary of the accompanying technical report.

Notes on data quality and comparison to previous year

Some local authorities were not able to report a breakdown of all actions taken following inquiries in 2025-26, or faced challenges in providing a breakdown which led to them reporting a large share as ‘pending/unknown’. Also, one local authority reported an additional 10% of actions taken following inquiries which did not fit into the categories provided in the ASP NMDS. We have excluded these actions taken from the statistics presented here. See the data and methodology chapter in the accompanying technical report for more information.

For this reason, the statistics presented on actions taken following inquiries is an approximation of the situation at national level. It is also why the total reported numbers of actions taken following inquiries do not match the total reported numbers of inquiries undertaken, as presented in section 2 on numbers of inquiries.

Our view is that, despite these challenges, the data reported for 2025-26 still gives a helpful overview of the actions most often taken following inquiries. However, because of differing data quality issues in 2024-25 and 2025-26, the statistics are not directly comparable between the years.

Actions taken following inquiries undertaken without the use of investigatory powers

An action taken following an inquiry was reported 35,005 times in 2025-26, for inquiries undertaken without the use of investigatory powers. The most common action reported was ‘does not meet the three-point criteria – non-ASP support provided or offered’ (35%) (figure 11).

Figure 11: The most commonly reported action following inquiries undertaken without the use of investigatory powers in 2025-26 was ‘Does not meet the three point criteria – non-ASP support provided or offered’ (35%).

Bar chart showing the percentage of reported actions reported as taken following inquiries without the use of investigatory powers in 2025-26.

Actions taken following inquiries undertaken with the use of investigatory powers

An action taken following an inquiry was reported 14,522 times in 2025-26, for inquiries undertaken with the use of investigatory powers. The most common action reported was ‘does not meet the three-point criteria – no further action’ (30%) (figure 12).

Figure 12: The most commonly reported action following inquiries undertaken with the use of investigatory powers in 2025-26 was ‘Does not meet the three point criteria – no further action’ (30%).

Bar chart showing the percentage of reported actions taken following inquiries with the use of investigatory powers in 2025-26.

Case conferences

Following inquiries and use of investigatory powers, multi-agency assessment and intervention options may be considered by an interagency Adult Support and Protection case conference.

The purpose of case conferences will be defined by local procedures, but should include:

• the sharing of information relating to possible harm;
• the joint assessment of current and ongoing risk;
• the continued implementation of any existent management plan;
• and the need to consider and, if appropriate, agree a specific and detailed support and protection plan.

‘Initial’ case conferences are typically held following an inquiry and ‘review’ case conferences are typically held to review the support already in place for an adult at risk. There is more information about case conferences in the glossary in the accompanying technical report.

In 2025-26, a total of 4,034 case conferences were reported for Scotland. This was similar to the number reported in 2024-25 (4,003).

The total of 4,034 case conferences reported in 2025-26 included 1,850 (46%) reported as initial case conferences and 2,184 (54%) reported as review case conferences. This was similar to 2024-25, when 1,789 (45%) were reported as initial case conferences and 2,214 (55%) were reported as review case conferences.

Notes on data quality and comparison to previous year

The statistics on initial and review case conferences at Scotland level in 2025-26 should be treated as indicative of the Scotland-wide situation. This is because one local authority reported challenges with accurately distinguishing between the two types in their recording system. The same local authority reported the same challenge in 2024-25, which allows comparisons between years to be made. There is more information in the accompanying technical report.

Adult Support and Protection Plans

An Adult Support and Protection Plan (ASPP) is a set of actions and strategies agreed by relevant agencies (single or multi-agency) and put in place to support and protect ‘adults at risk’ meeting the three-point criteria. A plan is designed to eliminate or reduce risk, manage this over time and respond to changing circumstances, overseen through case conference processes. It should include reference to the adult’s views, strengths, needs and concerns over time, for the purpose of reducing risk of harm. Plans will stay in place until agreed that they are no longer necessary.

In 2025-26, there were 2,846 newly-commenced ASPPs reported across Scotland. This is an increase of 14% compared to 2024–25 (2,504).

Notes on data quality

The ASP NMDS is intended to collect data on the total number of ASPPs, including ongoing ASPPs (which may have one or more associated review case conferences). Due to the ongoing challenges some local authorities face in accurately reporting ongoing ASPPs, as well as variation in how some report ongoing ASPPs following review case conferences, we are unable to provide a statistic for total numbers of ASPPs (newly commenced and ongoing) during 2025-26. See the data and methodology chapter in the accompanying technical report for more information.

Protection Orders granted

The ASP Act allows for application to a sheriff for a protection order. Protection orders (a term used in section 35 of the Act) include assessment orders, removal orders, and banning or temporary banning orders. For more information, please see the glossary section of the accompanying technical report.

In 2025-26, a total of 75 protection orders were reported as granted across the 31 local authorities who collect data on this. This was a 23% reduction in the total number of protection orders granted compared to 2024-25 (97), across the same local authorities.

The majority of protection orders granted in 2025-26 were banning or temporary banning orders, which was also the case in 2024-25.

Notes on data quality and comparison to previous year

One local authority does not collect data on protection orders granted. For this reason, the statistics presented on protection orders granted in 2025-26 is an approximation of the situation at national level. However, as this is consistent with 2024-25, a comparison between years can be made.

The ASP NMDS also aims to collect data on the number of protection orders applied for (as well as those granted). As not all local authorities were able to consistently report on protection orders applied for that were not granted in 2025-26, we are unable to provide a statistic.

See the data and methodology chapter in the accompanying technical report for more information.