Scottish Government proposes centralisation of children's services

It was initially planned that the National Care Service (NCS), which is being developed off the back of recommendations of the Independent Review of Adult Social Care, would only take control of adult social care.

But the Scottish Government now wants to broaden its responsibilities to include social work, children’s services, community justice and alcohol and drug services. Under the proposals the responsibility for provision would switch from local areas to the NCS, delivered through Community Health and Social Care Boards.

• Analysis: Three key questions the Care Review must answer to improve the system

• Children's Care Commissioning Special Report

A consultation document outlining the rationale for the move said it would simplify a complex system and allow for better wraparound provision for families.

"Having children's social work and social care within the NCS will provide the opportunity for services to become more cohesive – built around the child, family, or person who needs support – reducing complexity and ensuring improved transitions and support for those that need to access a range of services, including improved links with health," the consultation document states.

"Location within the NCS would also permit us to have a system where access, assessment, funding, and accountability is in one body. In doing so we need to retain and strengthen the existing links with education and Early learning and childcare.

"The overarching purpose will be to ensure consistent delivery of services to the most vulnerable children and families, which is inextricably related to the provision of services to adults. In doing so we need to ensure that access to services and reduced complexity for service users is a fundamental principle – this being one of the key messages from the Independent Review of Adult Social Care."

Social care minister Kevin Stewart said: “I believe that it is right for this consultation to look beyond simply the creation of a national service for adult social care. The ambition of this government is to go much further, and to create a comprehensive community health and social care service that supports people of all ages. We are also committed to ensuring there is strong local accountability in the system."

However, plans have come in for criticism, with figures in the sector concerned about the direction of travel in both Scotland, and England, where a review of children's social care is in progress.

So a National Child Protection Agency eh!!!! Devolving powers and the resources that are needed to fulfil these powers should be the direction of travel not more centralisation - let's return child protection and family support to communities (these include local authorities)

— Brid Featherstone (@Acsocialwork) August 13, 2021