More information about this self-evaluation
We will undertake this self-evaluation in two phases.
Phase 1: National self-evaluation – 2 September to 20 November 2024
All local authorities will be asked to undertake a self-evaluation against Quality Indicator 6.4: Performance Management and Quality Assurance, using a specially developed tool. The below online briefing provides an overview of the approach, the templates and the submission process.
The Care Inspectorate team will analyse the responses to identify key strengths and challenges emerging from the evaluations.
Phase 2 – Validation activity – 20 January to 24 February 2024
The Care Inspectorate will select four local authority areas and will work with them to validate their self-evaluation. This will include review of documentary evidence and focus groups with staff and people who use services.
Participating local authorities will receive a validation letter and feedback on their self-evaluation.
A final thematic report will be prepared summarising the findings of the national self-evaluation and the key messages emerging from the validation activity. This will reflect national messages and share information about examples of innovative practice – findings will not be attributed to individual local authorities.
What you will need
We have developed a blank template, with guidance, to support you to undertake the self-evaluation. This template is available in word to allow you to develop your responses over time and share it with colleagues. However, final submission of the self-evaluation will be via the smart survey. If you have used the word version of the template to compile your responses, please paste your answers in to our smart survey using the link below.
This is the link to the smart survey for submission. This link will go live on Monday 2 September. Please make your final submission on or before Wednesday 20 November.
We have provided an exemplar of what a completed self-evaluation template may look like for your reference and guidance. We have also provided a Quality Indicator 6.4 illustration.
For further information on privacy in relation to how this review is conducted please see our privacy statement.
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Self-evaluation of performance and quality assurance in justice social work
This justice social work self-evaluation will focus on the current capacity of services to evidence performance, quality and outcomes in relation to community based sentences. The self-evaluation activities will be undertaken in two phases between September 2024 and March 2025. A national report will be published in May 2025.
The approach to this work will be informed by Quality Indicator 6.4 (Performance Management and Quality Assurance) which is drawn from the Care Inspectorate’s Guide to Self-Evaluation for Community Justice in Scotland. The aim is to develop a clear understanding of strengths and develop an evidence-base that informs local and national improvement initiatives.
By using a self-evaluation approach rather than a traditional inspection model, we hope to minimise the burden on local authorities whilst building capacity for improvement across the sector.
Useful links:
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Review of social work governance and assurance in Scotland
On 15 July 2024 we notified all local authorities and health and social care partnerships across Scotland of our intention to undertake a national thematic review of social work governance and assurance arrangements.
The review is being carried out between July and December 2024 and a national report will be published in March 2025. The legislative basis for the review is S.53 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010.
Through the review we will answer these questions.
How well do social work governance and assurance arrangements support leaders to:
- Ensure statutory duties are carried out safely and effectively?
- Enable social work staff to be supported, accountable and effective in their practice?
- Assist social work staff to uphold core social work values?
We will span all areas of statutory social work including adults, children and justice social work services and will cover all local authority areas in Scotland.
The review will include: a review of documents, a national staff survey, interviews with key leaders from across Scotland and a range of focus groups with middle and senior managers.
Review timeline
More information about the review can be found in the following links:
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More information about the review
What will we do?
Between July 2024 and December 2024 we will carry out a review that will focus on social work governance and assurance in Scotland. We will answer the following question.
How well do social work governance and assurance arrangements support leaders to:
- Ensure statutory duties are carried out safely and effectively?
- Enable social work staff to be supported, accountable and effective in their practice?
- Assist social work staff to uphold core social work values?
What is the purpose of the review?
The purpose of the review is to add to the understanding of the role, remit, effectiveness and the current challenges facing social work services. We will do this by exploring the impact of governance and assurance arrangements. The review will:
- highlight the areas of influence for chief social worker officers, principal social workers and other key social work leaders as they provide governance and assurance
- explore the support and assistance provided by leaders and managers to encourage staff to uphold social work values in practice
- identify and disseminate information about what is working well
- recognise the challenges faced by local leaders and staff across the country and identify areas where improvement is required.
How will we do this?
A team of strategic inspectors from the Care Inspectorate will carry out the review. The scope of the review is relative to the current pressures currently being experienced by the sector. It is designed to be mindful of the impact on those leading and working in social work services. We will take a collaborative, flexible and supportive approach when working with local areas. Each area is asked to nominate a co-ordinator to act as a main point of contact for the review. The timeline below (figure 1) illustrates the core tasks being undertaken through the review. The key dates are outlined below.
How will we report our findings?
The review will conclude in December 2024. Using the principles of the European Framework for Quality Management (EFQM) model, we will analyse all of the information gathered systematically and will draw together messages for the sector. A national report will be published on our website in March 2025. We will also use other methods, such as webinars, to share the learning from the review.
For more information, please visit our website here.
Review timeline
Figure 1: Review timeline
Details about the review timeline
Date |
Type of activity |
More details |
| 15 July 2024 | Notification | Local authorities and HSCPs formally notified and asked to nominate a co-ordinator to act as a single point of contact by 19 July 2024.The following week co-ordinators receive detailed guidance about the review. |
| 5 - 16 August 2024 | Briefing sessions for co-ordinators | Co-ordinators invited to attend a virtual briefing session with the review team from the Care Inspectorate.Information about the review will be shared and there will be opportunities for co-ordinators to ask questions. |
| 19 August - 4 October 2024 | Staff survey | Local authority areas/HSCPs asked to share a staff survey for all frontline social work staff and first line managers. |
| 27 August 2024 | Document return | Co-ordinators asked to return a short list of documents to the partnership by this date. |
| 30 September - 1 November 2024 |
Interviews with leaders and focus groups | Structured interviews with Chief Social Work Officers and a maximum of two other people during this period.Middle/senior managers (e.g. operations managers, service managers) from each local authority invited to participate in themed virtual focus groups. |
| 17 March 2025 | National review report publication | National review report published on the Care Inspectorate website. A local staff survey report will be provided to each area after publication.Further opportunities to discuss findings will be arranged, including webinars. |
Key definitions
Some definitions to clarify the remit of the review:
By governance and assurance we mean: A robust system for assuring high standards in the delivery of safe, personalised and effective social work services [adapted from the definition in “Governance for quality social care in Scotland” SWS 2018]
By statutory duties we mean: those outlined in the “Role of the registered social worker in statutory interventions: guidance for Local Authorities” in relation to the wide range of statutory duties across children’s, adults and justice social work services [source: Role of registered social worker in statutory interventions: guidance for Local Authorities SG 2010].
By social work staff we mean: social workers and other staff employed to fulfil or support the delivery of statutory social work duties such as occupational therapists, paraprofessionals (social work assistants and justice assistants). For the purposes of this review, we will not involve staff who work in registered services (such as residential care home staff, housing support staff or similar), because they are already involved in inspections of regulated services.
By core social work values we mean: those outlined in the SSSC code of practice (May 2024) underpinned by the ethical principles of human rights and dignity, social justice and professional integrity [source: BASW Code of Ethics 2021]
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Update - June 2024
What we have been doing since our last briefing in January 2024
We have continued to work alongside the four areas that came forward to be part of more detailed work:
- Aberdeen city
- Dundee city
- Dumfries and Galloway
- Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)
In January we reviewed a sample of children’s social work’s records. Across the four areas we read a total of 117 records. This helped us to better understand the effectiveness of children’s assessments, plans and reviews in ensuring children received the help they needed at the right time.
Between February and March, we visited each of the four areas and met with children, young people, their families, carers and the staff who help them. We had the privilege of hearing directly from people who receive services about the difference these made to their lives and what could be improved. We also reviewed feedback provided by children and young people through our electronic survey. We visited social work teams, social care services and schools to hear from social work staff and other professionals who support disabled children and young people. During these visits we learned more about what was working well for children and young people and what was more challenging.
We held five focus groups involving representatives from the four areas. This helped practitioners to reflect together about the areas of strengths and for improvement across the country.
We are very grateful to everyone who took the time to speak with us or complete our surveys. We would also like to extend our thanks to everyone who facilitated our interactions with children and young people. We saw how important it was to the children and young people to receive support from people they knew well and who cared for them.
In May, we met with representatives from the four areas individually to provide verbal feedback and share our reflections on our time spent in their area. We also shared their individual results for their record reading review and staff survey with them.
Next steps
We are now working on our national overview report, which we plan to publish in August 2024. We are working alongside colleagues within our organisation to provide accessible formats, including a short video animation to highlight our key messages.
The published report will be available on the Care Inspectorate’s website.
If you have any questions for the review team, they can be contacted via email on:
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We’d like to thank everyone who has been involved in this review.
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