THE region’s social work service is set to face some serious scrutiny over two of its biggest challenges.
Recruiting and retaining social workers has been a real difficulty for Dumfries and Galloway Council, and indeed nationally, in recent years.
Meanwhile, social care for vulnerable children has also been challenging with huge financial strains and a lack of resources.
Both issues are likely to go under the microscope over the next year after plans were drawn up to assess progress in these areas.
The council’s audit, risk and scrutiny committee – which scrutinises the performance of council services and targets – is now looking closely at social work.
In June this year the committee agreed for two scrutiny reviews to be taken forward in 2024-25: recruitment and retention of social work staff, and outcomes for looked after/vulnerable children.
A report went to this week’s committee with more details and councillors agreed to kickstart the scrutiny review process.
Fraser Davies, the council’s improvement development officer, wrote in the report: “It is suggested that this scrutiny review outcome be ‘to ensure social work services has an appropriate workforce in place to continue to deliver high quality services to support the most vulnerable in our communities.”
The suggested outcome in the review for looked after/vulnerable children will be “to ensure the council has appropriate arrangements in place to ensure our looked after/vulnerable children are provided with the support required to reach a positive destination.”
It is proposed that, when considering looked after children, councillors focus on those children who are looked after within this region.
