social services

The business case for social work with adults: a discussion paper

The care and support White Paper, Caring for our future, says: "Social workers have a crucial role to play in the reformed care and support system". The College of Social Work agrees, but believes that in a climate of austerity social work must be able to show not just that it makes a unique contribution to the lives of service users but that it makes financial sense too.

This discussion paper indicates where social workers fit into modern models of care and sketches the outlines of an argument that the cost-benefit analysis comes out in their favour.

Embracing change series

A series of booklets produced on the topic of innovation in social services in Scotland.

They are designed to help individuals and organisations think differently and more creatively about providing services, as well as manage risk more effectively.

The titles include:
- Embracing change
- Balancing innovation and risk in social services
- How do you create the right conditions for innovation?
- Developing a framework for innovation
- Rising to the challenge: where can ideas come from?

Leading together: an analysis of leadership activity and development needs in Scotland's social services

The Changing Lives Report (Scottish Executive, 2006) highlighted the need for leadership at all levels within the social services workforce. The Leadership and Management subgroup of the review made recommendations for a leadership and management development framework which ‘should make explicit common qualities and behaviours that are required of all leaders and managers in a public sector context, but also identify whether there are additional or specific needs for the social service context’ (Leadership and Management subgroup, 2005).