Item 8 - Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2023-24
West Dunbartonshire Council · 18 December 2024
Back to West Dunbartonshire Council — 18 December 2024 and its agenda
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by the Chief Social Work Officer Council: 18th December 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2023-24 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide the Council with the Chief Social Work Officer (CSWO) Annual Report for 2023-24 (Appendix 1) which provides information on the statutory work undertaken on the Council’s behalf, including a summary of governance arrangements, service delivery, resources and workforce. 2. Recommendations 2.1 The Council is asked to approve the content of the Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2023-24 and approve its submission to the Office of the Chief Social Work Advisor to the Scottish Government. 3. Background 3.1 The requirement for each Council to have a Chief Social Work Officer was initially set out in section 3 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 and is also contained within section 45 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994. 3.2 The role of the CSWO is to provide professional guidance, leadership and accountability for the delivery of social work and social care services – both of those provided directly by the local authority social work and care services delegated to the HSCP and also those commissioned or purchased from other providers. 3.3 The CSWO Annual Report has been prepared in line with National Guidance: ‘The Role of the Chief Social Work Officer’ (Scottish Government: 2016). This report also fulfils the statutory requirement for each CSWO to produce an annual report on the activities and performance of social work services within the local area. 3.4 Following approval, the annual report will be provided to the Chief Social Work Advisor to the Scottish Government and will be posted on the Council and HSCP websites. 4. Main Issues 4.1 Each CSWO produces an annual report based on an agreed template by the Office of the Chief Social Work Adviser. This ensures local reporting ITEM 8
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arrangements continue whilst having due regard to current pressures being experienced across the sector. The Office of the Chief Social Work Advisor will use completed reports to prepare a national overview later in the year. 4.2 The report, makes significant reference to the work of teams across Children & Families, Adults, Older People and Justice Services. The report gives both performance information and highlights the extensive and varied contribution that social work makes to the lives of our citizens within West Dunbartonshire and the role that social work has to play in the protection of the public. 4.3 Oversight arrangements, public protection activity and performance information is detailed as well as external scrutiny of those regulated services delivering statutory functions during 2023-24. 4.5 The report summarises the development around recruitment and retention in a national context of shortages of social workers and vacancies which have been evident for some time and is most acutely experienced in children’s services. Workforce planning is crucial in supporting the development of local strategies in recruitment and retention of social work staff and the priority that this requires. 4.6 As a profession delivering services which are trauma informed, relationship based to deliver rights-based services to individuals, families and carers towards better outcomes, our skilled workforce is key to any delivery model. The Social Work and care services workforce is diverse and includes social care workers, occupational therapists, residential and day care staff, home care staff, Mental Health Officers; and social workers delivering protection and a range of statutory interventions to ensure the safety and protection of vulnerable Children, Adults and the wider public. Services are delivered by a skilled, dedicated workforce who require support, training and effective leadership to undertake complex and often challenging work. There are identified gaps in learning and development opportunities for social work staff and in 2024/25 we will see this improve with the appointments of two learning and development officers. 4.8 The clarity of objective of service ambition to deliver earliest and preventative services to enable children and adults to live their best lives in community settings where possible, is clear across all delivery areas. Challenges to this approach are perhaps evident in both children and adult services with ensuring preventative services are both locally accessible and effective in meeting need at earliest stages. Children’s service 5 year strategic plan approved by the Integrated Joint Board set out the vision and directions for children’s services to ensure West Dunbartonshire are Keeping the Promise, by supporting children in local communities and family settings where possible. The national drivers to ensure increased numbers of adults involved with Criminal Justice services are effectively supported and risks to the public are manged within the community although is being driven at a time when resourcing of Justice services to deliver community based options is
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increasingly stretched both in terms of local and national settlements. 5. People Implications 5.1 The CSWO Annual Report highlights both ongoing challenges and developments in workforce planning and recognises the activity taking place to support staff wellbeing and ensure successful recruitment and retention. 5.2 The report highlights developments of key posts across social work services to support an on-going improvement agenda and identified priorities for the delivery of social work services. 6. Financial and Procurement Implications 6.1 There are no financial or procurement implications arising from the CSWO annual report, however the report highlights the financial implications upon the HSCP budget and the importance of spend that is compliant with procurement arrangements. 6.2 Budgetary oversight of services provided by the HSCP continues to be provided by the HSCP Board. Budget pressures in social work and social care are evident and the CSWO now attends the vacancy panel for all relevant posts to ensure effective representation of the statutory functions and risks are considered when decision on posts are made aligned to budget. 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 Provision of statutory social work services requires appropriately qualified and skilled staff; analysis of activity and future demand is intended to inform future service planning to continue to meet statutory duties. HSCP Risk registers reflect protection functions and impact of vacancies and current gap in some aspects in learning and development for staff. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 There is no requirement for an equalities impact assessment and this report does not recommend a change to existing policy, function or strategy. 9. Environmental Sustainability 9.1 There are no implications for environmental sustainability. 10. Consultation 10.1 Contributions to the CSWO Annual Report has been informed by managers and staff delivering the statutory functions contained within this report. 11. Strategic Assessment
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11.1 Analysis of activity, resources and performance within the CSWO Annual Report provide assurance that the planning and delivery of social work services in West Dunbartonshire continue to reflect statutory requirements. 11.2 The report also demonstrates how services support the Council’s strategic priorities and the HSCP Strategic Plan, working with local residents and communities to improve lives. Lesley James Head of Children’s Health, Care and Justice Chief Social Work Officer 2nd December 2024 Person to Contact: Lesley James, Head of Children’s Health, Care and Justice Services, Chief Social Work Officer Lesley.james@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2023-24 Background Papers: None Wards Affected: All