Slow Progress For Dumfries & Galloway Social Services

A follow-up report after a highly critical study of social services in south west Scotland has found progress has been “slower than intended”.

The Social Work Inspection Agency (SWIA) produced 24 recommendations for improvement in its review of Dumfries and Galloway Council in 2006.

A return visit found work had started on many of the issues raised.

However, it said the next few months would be “crucial” in speeding up the process and delivering real results.

The original report identified serious shortcomings in social services across the region.

The department’s performance rating ranged from “weak” to “adequate” across nine categories, while leadership was classed as “unsatisfactory”.

A follow-up investigation found work had been done – particularly on strategic leadership which had been an area of major concern.

“We saw that the chief executive and elected members had provided a positive response at the corporate level,” the report noted.

However, the SWIA found that staff morale remained low and had been told that managers and front line workers were “not always pulling together in the same direction”.

Concerns also still exist about accommodation, communication and the service’s performance with regard to carers and meeting the needs of some vulnerable people.

Chief inspector Alexis Jay said: “The next few months will be crucial in implementing some of the processes which have been slow to develop.”

She said that only then would people who needed the services, their carers and staff see the benefits from the action taken since the first inspection.

‘Right management’

Social work committee chairman Denis Male said that work would continue to tackle the issues raised.

“The council has not swerved from its strong commitment to delivering improved social work services to people since the first SWIA report in 2006,” he said.

“We have concentrated on getting the right management structure and resources in place to make sure people get the best service we can provide.”

He highlighted successes in dealing with looked-after children and the recruitment and retention of staff.

Mr Male added that a project to create new purpose-built accommodation in Dumfries and Stranraer was moving forward “at a good pace”.