Plain English for Social Services

Reports written by people working in social and health care need to be: clear

direct

and easily understood by clients, carers and members of the public. This text is an informative guide for anyone involved in social care, looking openly at information produced by Social Services Departments to show how user-unfriendly they can be, and provides guidance on how to communicate better with their intended audience. By using many examples, this text advises how to: write clearly and concisely

use everyday words and avoid jargon

improve the layout and design

avoid common errors

and punctuate work effectively.