Integrated optics is becoming increasingly important for applications in quantum information processing, quantum sensing and for advanced measurement. Intrinsically stable and low-loss it provides essential routing and coupling for quantum optical experiments offering functions such as interconnects, couplers, phase delays and routing. Silica-on-silicon has particular attractions, and in this work the fabrication approaches and advantages of the technique will be explored. In particular, UV direct writing of waveguides and Bragg gratings proves useful for its rapid-prototyping capability and its ability to provide grating for characterization of components for loss, birefringence and coupling ratio. This review concentrates on the fabrication of planar waveguide devices, and ways in which direct UV writing provides important functionality. Examples of applications of silica-on-silicon waveguides include quantum enhanced interferometry, teleportation, boson sampling as well as hybrid operation for single photon detection with transition edge sensors directly placed onto waveguide devices