Question reference: S6W-09490
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 30 June 2022
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Current status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 27 July 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve working conditions for social workers, in light of the report Setting the Bar for Social Work in Scotland finding that 45% of social workers who responded said that they might leave the profession due to poor physical or mental health.
Answer
The Scottish Government welcomes the Setting the Bar for Social Work in Scotland report and will consider and discuss the findings with its partners to inform and develop future social work workforce policy. Social workers make a highly skilled, unique and valuable contribution to supporting individuals and families across Scotland. We acknowledge the significant pressures social workers face around increasing workloads, staff shortages and the more complex needs of those they support – all exacerbated by COVID.
We know that social workers have faced particular stress and emotional impact from working at home during the COVID pandemic. Even though supporting the impact of that is primarily for employers, the Scottish Government has also taken action to ensure that social workers have the right support.
Enhanced wellbeing support services, backed by £5m, are in place, including the National Wellbeing Hub. The Hub includes resources specifically for social workers and to support home working. In acknowledgement of the current challenges, the Scottish Government has invested £200k in a Social Work Professional Support Service to provide a peer support service from 2021-2023. The service covers a range of issues including wellbeing and resilience.
Our ambition is to raise the status of, and ensure investment in, the social work profession. This is to be delivered through our commitment to establishing the National Care Service and National Social Work Agency.
The Scottish Government will continue to work with COSLA and stakeholders to look at how social workers can be supported while they undertake their vital work across our communities.