Rikke Iversholt

Innovation is not a practice reserved for ‘the creative’ or ‘the experts’. You innovate all the time…

Infopics provide visualised information to support social services in Scotland and have been designed as companion documents to Iriss Insights. Infopics highlight and interpret the data behind key sector themes in a way that is visual and accessible.

At the end of March 2012, the Scottish Association of Social Work (SASW) awarded its annual Social Worker of the Year Award 2011 to Sandy Watt, mental health officer at North Lanarkshire Council.

At the award ceremony Sandy was described as "skilled, courteous, ethical and effective" in working with people with mental health challenges.

These guides aim to explore how you can approach innovation in your social services organisation, embracing the change that presents, and managing the risks that ensue.

Scottish social services organisations face major challenges over the next 10 years

In 2007, the social care costs resulting from alcohol misuse were estimated to be between £114.2 million and £346.8 million (mid-point £230.5 million), with almost all of these costs relating to children and families (Scottish Government, 2009).

A set of 19 cards which describe different techniques and methods, and 3 diagrams, which explain the technique, when it may be useful, the amount of expertise the tools requires, the time the tool can take to work through, how many people may benefit from being involved and a ‘how to use’ guidelines.