Highland Council’s bid for transformation of children’s care service

Councillors have agreed to move ahead with plans to complete a 10-year transformation of the children’s care service.

It comes after a national campaign to protect children in care has been hit with a number of delays calling into question national target date of 2030.

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Councillors questioned whether the council’s draft three-year plan to implement the changes was “achievable” given the staffing vacancies in social care across Scotland.

Back in 2020, the Scottish Government committed to a promise which sought to provide better protections to care-experienced children - meaning youngsters who have had some support in their life other than parental support growing up.

Called ‘the Promise’ campaign, councillors were told of Highland Council’s plan to implement the national initiative over the next three years.

However, on a national scale the 2030 target has been called into question by those overseeing the project.

Margaret MacIntyre, chair of the Highland Promise Board and head of social work at Highland Council, told councillors about a draft plan outlining extra support for families and giving children a say in their care.

It also seeks to reform the care system in the Highlands, supporting social workers through a “wellbeing framework” and “cross-agency” collaboration.

Several councillors raised concerns if the plans were “achievable” given the large number of vacancies in social care.

Councillor Richard Gale said: “If we don’t deliver it, it’s just a plan. And that to me is a concern.

“What concerns me really more than anything else is that there are 40 per cent vacancies in children’s services.

“How can we expect to deliver it and make it not just a plan?”

Councillor Michael Gregson said: “The area that does concern me most is that level of aspiration in having a workforce which is able to meet this bar.

“Are you confident that we will be able to achieve these excellent and laudable goals?”

Ms MacIntyre responded to the councillors concerns, saying there is a “huge focus” in staff retention.

She added: “If you retain your workforce today you’ll not have to recruit so heavily.

“It really is about supporting the workforce… and values-based leadership, that understands and cares compassionately about the people in the workforce.”

Councillor Muriel Cockburn said she hopes the council will “embed” this plan going forward.

Councillor Lyndsey Johnston said the plan “demonstrates the passion that everybody has for keeping the promise and it shows how seriously Highland Council takes its role as corporate parents”.

Councillor John Grafton stressed the importance of keeping people with “lived experience” at the forefront of the council’s transformation plans.

The draft plans were agreed and the council will move ahead with implementing the Promise.

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