Leading social work chief to step down

One of Highland Council’s most senior officials is to retire after spending 36 years in the social work sector in Scotland.

Harriet Dempster, 58, has weathered some turbulent times during her 11 years as director of social work services. She was in charge when the body of five-year-old Danielle Reid was found in the Caledonian Canal in 2003. A hard-hitting report into her death ruled that the social work department was among several agencies told it must accept responsibility.

Since then the department appears to have turned itself around, with a series of good reports from inspectors praising the way it deals with vulnerable children.

Over recent months Ms Dempster, who is also president of the Association of Directors of Social Work (ADSW), has been responsible for finding savings of £3.4million in her department’s budget.

She said last night: “I have spent 11 happy and very satisfying years in the Highlands. Significant change is taking place in community care over the next two years and beyond at both a Scottish Government and local council level and this is a good time for a new director to come and take this project forward and to a conclusion.

“I feel very lucky because I have worked in a profession with lots of dedicated and very able people who make a positive difference to people’s lives day in day out. I also feel very lucky because I am doing something I feel passionate about and so much enjoy.”

Ms Dempster has worked as a social worker, a researcher, a lecturer and in policy posts during a career which has spanned nearly four decades. In 1992 she was seconded to the Scottish Office as assistant chief inspector of child care and while there advised on the follow-up to the Orkney inquiry and the Children Scotland Bill team.

Three years later she became manager of children’s services with Dundee City Council before moving on to her job at Highland Council in 1999. She was appointed honorary professor at Stirling University in 1997.