« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
Foreword
There are many examples of excellent social services across Scotland. Services which through the hard work, commitment and dedication of the staff who work in them, meet the needs of some of our most vulnerable people in society. There is much to celebrate, but we also need to recognise that the success of social services in Scotland depends on all the people who work in them. We need to equip the workforce with the skills, knowledge and understanding they need and support them to deliver what is now being expected of them.
Developing the workforce we need now and for the future is crucial. It must take centre stage. It cannot be left to chance. This strategy sets out what needs to be done, and by whom, to ensure we have a workforce capable of delivering the kinds of services the people of Scotland need and deserve.
Our policies for a confident Scotland and excellent public services are rightly ambitious. They require changing the way we think about what it is people who use such services need and expect. Social services have a key role to play in building the kind of Scotland we want to see in the 21st century. To rise to these increasing expectations it is now vital to ensure we have the right people, with the right skills, in the right place at the right time.
This is not easy. It will take time to achieve and we need to build on our achievements as we move forward in developing a competent, confident and valued workforce fit for the 21st century. This means all of us with an interest in the social service workforce working together to achieve the vision set out in this strategy. As we launch this strategy we are awaiting the findings of both the 21st Century Social Work Review and the National Review of the Early Years and Childcare Workforce. Both these reviews will also have significant implications for what we expect of the social service workforce as well as how we recruit, develop and support that workforce. We believe this strategy provides an excellent platform from which to build the competent, confident and valued workforce we need for the 21st century.
The strategy, and the action plan, must drive the development of the workforce we now need to build excellent social services fit for the 21st century. The people of Scotland expect and deserve high quality social services that respond to their individual needs, that are reliable and which are based on best practice. This means having a well trained, well supported and highly valued workforce. I am confident that by working together we can deliver this vision.
Robert Brown, MSP
Deputy Minister for
Eduction and Young People
« Previous | Contents | Next »