SOCIAL WORK in Scotland is facing another major upheaval. The national care service (NCS) consultation and subsequent Bill published in June, proposes the removal of social work from local authority control and its transfer to a National Social Work Agency, which will come under the purview of Scottish ministers.  

Launched with almost no detail about why such drastic change is needed or what it will look like in practice, it will have the impact of depressing the morale of already demoralised social workers and will no doubt see even more of them leave a profession that is already under the cosh.  

As a social worker for 42 years, I know first hand the key role that social work staff can play in the lives of the families and individuals they support. They are often among the most disadvantaged in our communities and their need for social work services is very often underpinned by poverty and deprivation.