Report on social work services in Scotland

Date: 4th October 2016
Category: Social security

A new report by the Accounts Commission says current approaches to providing services are not sustainable in the long term. There are risks that further cost savings could affect the quality of services which provide support for over 17,000 vulnerable children and young people in Scotland.

The Report claims that councils now spend £3.1 billion on social work providing services to many vulnerable children and adults and around 28% of that is spent on children and families.

Current approaches to providing services are not sustainable in the long term and it's estimated that social work in Scotland will need up to £667 million a year more by 2020 unless new ways of delivering services are put in place. Fundamental decisions have to be taken on how services are provided and more work is needed to involve users in how services are designed, commissioned and run. There are risks that further cost savings could affect the quality of services.

The report is split into three parts:

• Challenges facing social work services
• Strategies to address the challenges
• Social work governance and scrutiny arrangements
  
• Read the report 'Social Care in Scotland' here.