Chief Social Work Officer's first annual report highlights successes and challenges
12th February 2020
Highland Council's new Chief Social Work Officer's first annual report highlights successes and challenges.`
Highland Council's new Chief Social Work Officer for Highland Council, Karen Ralston, has enjoyed a successful first year in her role.
Members today noted the 2018/19 annual report at the meeting of the Health, Wellbeing and Social Care committee.
The report highlights that Highland Council continues to, in partnership with NHS Highland, delivers high quality services as well as developing new approaches to caring for and supporting children, young people and adults.
Interim Head of Children's Services, Karen Ralston said: "Through the partnerships everyone is committed to making the Highlands the best place to grow up, live and prosper in.
"Communities remain at the heart of the collaborative approach and the Community Planning Partnerships have allowed for more meaningful contribution to local decision making."
She added: “Social work and social care staff, including staff working across our Commissioned Services have, and continue to be dedicated and committed to providing support, care and protection to our most vulnerable children, young people and adults throughout the last year despite the challenging times."
Children's Services have benefited from access to the Change Fund, which has invested in Edge of Care Delivery in recognition of increased needs of families.
Karen added: “As Chief Social Work Officer I will continue to work alongside elected members and the Chief Executive Leadership team at putting people and communities at the heart of any decision making, planning and improvements. The voice and children, young people and adults using our services will be integral to this work.”
During the past year the following achievement have been recognised in social work and across social care:
The development of the ‘no wrong door’ approach to support children and young people on the edge of care
The increased portfolio of supported flats/accommodation for young adults
The provision of a new dedicated CAMHS service for care and experienced young people
The development of a suite of support services for care experience children and young people
The continued development of the CHAMPS board to strengthen the voice of care experienced children and young people through increased resource
The effective commissioning of third sector partners to improve both core services and early intervention activity
The continued development of the Highland practice model to ensure effective integrated children’s services across Education, Health and Social Care
Karen also acknowledges there have also been challenges including the unique demography of the Highlands.
She said: “Social work services continued to face a number of challenges due to significant demand and constrained budgets that impact on service delivery and meeting the needs of communities within Highland.
“Work has continued to be progressed in adult services, to continue the shift towards community-based provision.
“There have been increasing recruitment challenges regarding social worker and social care vacancies, particularly for posts in care at home and within children’s services, and posts in the more rural parts of the authority.”
Related Businesses
Related Articles
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Households across Scotland have received £4.1 billion in relief since the Council Tax Reduction scheme was introduced in 2013. People on low incomes are eligible for the benefit if they live in Scotland - there is no equivalent in England where most councils require each household to contribute a minimum amount of council tax, irrespective of ability to do so.
The Highland Council is preparing to carry out improvement works in Thurso at Ormlie Road and at The Mall riverside path adjacent to Janet Street. The scope of works on Ormlie Road will include junction improvements between Castlegreen Road and Juniper Drive with new drop kerbs and tactile paving and some surface repairs.
A Highland-wide partnership launched earlier in 2024 to support people on their journey towards, into and within employment is looking forward to a New Year in 2025 full of exciting opportunities designed to help hundreds more people across the Highlands unlock their work potential. Work.
The Highland Council is delighted to share that its Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme has won the Outstanding Project Award at the Scottish Green Energy Awards. Described by Scottish Renewables as a "pioneering clean power scheme", this £7 million project demonstrates the incredible impact that can be achieved through combined public and private sector investment.
The ambitious yet focused ‘Highland Investment Plan' is committed to addressing our asset challenges over the next twenty years. By using a place based approach, to ensure a more integrated community offering through the creation of new community facilities.
Applications to the Inverness Winter Payments Scheme, which is fully funded by the Inverness Common Fund, have already been awarded to 1,035 eligible households within the 7 specified Inverness Wards. Leader of Inverness Area, Councillor Ian Brown said: "Since the Scheme was opened to applications for this winter, already £114,885 has been awarded to people who live in the eligible Wards of Aird and Loch Ness, Inverness West, Inverness Central, Inverness Ness-side, Inverness Millburn, Culloden and Ardersier and Inverness South Wards.
The first Highland-wide virtual jobs fair held last month has proved to be a hit with participants and businesses. The week-long virtual event, which was delivered by the Local Employability Partnership for the West - The Highland Council, Skills Development Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Department for Work and Pensions, Developing the Young Workforce and UHI North West and Hebrides was timed to coincide with Scottish Careers Week 2024.
