1. The Historical Context of Social Work; some recent themes:
Local Government Social Work Departments and Voluntary Organisations.
The ‘Changing Lives’ Report

2. The Demographic Challenge Changing Lives (2006)
Ageing population (by 2030, 25% of the population will be over 60)
Decreasing number of young people (18% predicted drop by 2028)
Children in need (e.g. 60% of children leaving care leave school without any qualifications: 20% become homeless within a year)
Changing needs (impact of medical advances and lifestyle changes)
Changing Lives page 17 – 25
Brodie and Anne Ritchie.
Decreasing number of young people (11% drop between 1968 and 2001 and predicted fall of 18% by 2028) (Changing Lives page 18)

3. The Demographic Challenge Changing Lives (2006)
Fractured relationships (significant number of children growing up within complex and transitory groupings of parents, successive partners, extended family and local authority care)
Social polarisation (growing gap between affluent and poor/impact of disadvantage)
Cultural diversity (e.g. Scottish Executive’s “fresh talent” initiative)
Changing concepts of community
Page 18  of Changing Lives report
Changing concepts of community  weakening of traditional ties/online communities and gated communities.

4. Our context: changing expectations (Scottish Social Services Council, 2006)
More people want to be supported to remain at home and maintain their independence
People are becoming more assertive in expressing their choices and challenging poor services
People expect services to be delivered in a range of ways
Page 32 of Changing Lives

5. The Big Picture: Money and Politics
Financial crash 2007
Conservative Coalition Government 2010
Welfare reform
Cut in grant from Westminster (10% over 3 years)
Reducing allocation from Edinburgh to Local Authorities (against increasing demand and inflation)
Scottish Nationalist Government since 2011
Post Referendum/UK election
Many councils are engaged in cost cutting that cannot be achieved through traditional incremental change and narrowly targeted cost reduction. We are having to think about what we really want and value in public services. A radical rethink is required if LA’s are to achieve the savings required and to deliver services. .
Increasingly LA’s wil hae to engage the front line to reduce costs and manage across organisational boundaries (Partnership with Health and LA call centre).

6. Meeting the Challenge The Political Context
The Scottish Government
Responsible for most of the legislation and policy changes that impact on social work
No “Minister for Social Work”
Most social work roles are located in the ministries of Health, Education and Justice.
Social Work is fragmented at the highest level.
Westminster Government
Responsible for welfare reform and pensions and funding allocation to Scotland.
Responsible for much of the legislation and policy changes that impact on social work
Significant amount of legislation enacted by the Scottish Executive and Scottish Government since 1999 has impacted on social work (NB In 2005 there were at least 35 significant areas of legislation relevant to social work – Scottish Executive, 2005 & ) These have been significantly added to and amended in the years to date.
Most social work functions located in health, education and justice departments of the Scottish Government
There is no “minister for social work”
Fragmentation and lack of coordination has affected development of social work’s role

7. Local Authority Structures
Thirty-two local authorities governed by elected “Members”
Responsible for policy-making within committees
Authorising action and expenditure within limits of law
Policies of Scottish Gvt and “members” are enacted by departments staffed by “officers”.
“officers” are responsible to the Council

8. Contracting and Commissioning National Voluntary Organisations
Barnardo’s, Aberlour, Capability Scotland, etc.
Charitable status/some with company status
Overseen by Boards of Management or similar
Most led by Chief Executive or Director
Structures more likely to allow for quick, delegated decision making

9. Contracting and Commissioning Local Voluntary Organisations
Smaller scale initiatives
Charitable status and formally constituted
Structure
Management committees
Volunteers or mix of volunteers and paid staff
Service users likely to be close to decision making
Funding from local authorities/trusts

10. 21st Century Social Work Review (2004 – 2006)
Define the role and purpose of social workers and social work
Identify improvements in the organisation and delivery of services
Develop a strong quality improvement framework and culture supported by inspection
Strengthen leadership and management
Ensure a competent and confident workforce
Review and if necessary modernise legislation.
Remember the Barclay report
In between social work had become particularly in adult care had become a gatekeeping service for the management of financial resources
In children and families social work and in criminal justice we had become a service that managed risk to public services.
Biestek had become left behind as we were increasingly looking to third party interests of public accountability in financial management and in risk avoidance. The client was perhaps becoming sidelined and increasingly “done to”.

11. 21st Century Social Work Review Findings
Lots of unrecognised good practice
Practitioners working successfully in the most challenging of circumstances, making fine professional judgements about risk
Services deal skilfully with complex problems
Unreasonable expectations of what services can do to sort out society’s problems
Lack of self-confidence within the social work profession about its contribution
Decision-making ability and professional autonomy of practitioners constrained by controlling line management
Managerialism was becoming disabling. Social workers were becoming deprofessionalised.

12. 21st Century Social Work Review Three Main Conclusions
Doing more of the same won’t work. Increasing demand, greater complexity and rising expectations, mean that the current situation is not sustainable
Social work services don’t have all the answers. They need to work closely with other universal providers in all sectors to find new ways to design and deliver services across the public sector.
Social workers’ skills are highly valued increasingly relevant to the changing needs of society. Yet we are far from making the best use of these skills.
(Scottish Executive, 2006)
Changing Lives (Scot Exec.2006.), the report of the 21st Century Social Work Review set out a compelling and challenging vision for the future direction of social work services in Scotland.

13. Changing Times/Changing Expectations
More people want to be supported to remain at home and maintain their independence
People are becoming more assertive in expressing their choices and challenging poor services
People expect services to be delivered in a range of ways
Page 32 of Changing Lives

14. The Changing Lives Report The Scottish Executive (2006)

15. Increasing Professionalisation of Workforce
Educational Framework
The Framework for Social Work Education in Scotland
Scottish Requirements for Social Work Training
Entry Requirements
Standards in Social Work Education (SiSWE)
Assessed Practice Learning
Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)
Registration of the workforce :Regulation of Care Act (Scotland) 2001
Professional Framework
Transferable skills

16. References
The Scottish Executive (2006). Changing Lives: The Report on the 21st Century Social Work Review.
The Christie Commision (2011). Commision on the Future Delivery of Public Services
Changing Lives: what is really changing
for Scottish social work?
Chris Clark & Mark Smith
Version of record first published: 08 Jul 2011.