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.  First published 1st July 1998.