Blog – Project updates

Blog

a jar of nuts and bolts on an exterior paved step

Operations Peer Group - a space to grow

Monday 23 February 2026

I didn’t start out in operations, I’m not sure many do.

Operations Peer Support Group

coin operated binoculars

Kay Leary - Social Worker

Tuesday 10 February 2026
I was part of a piece of work with Iriss focused on self-evaluation through the lens of how adults experience the “front door” of social work in the Scottish Borders.
Self-evaluation in adult social work
a second story window under a red lintel

Supporting People who Hoard: Spotlight on Fife 3

Tuesday 27 January 2026
Often what you find is that people are ‘under the radar’ says Ronan and have been hoarding for a long time.
Supporting people who hoard
a toy fire truck in a sandpit

Supporting People who Hoard: Spotlight on Fife 2

Thursday 22 January 2026
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) have just started a pilot in Fife – visiting and supporting a small number of people with hoarded homes to provide hands-on support in de-cluttering and maki
Supporting people who hoard
analysing the data

ASP National Minimum Dataset: A journey

Tuesday 20 January 2026
Data in the news and a trip down memory lane…. It’s January 2026, and I’m taking a bit of time for reflection at the start of the year to talk about ASP data and why the big statistics ma
Adult Support and Protection
a coastal glade intersected by a light pebble path

Growing our social work student placement support with Next Chapter Scotland

Monday 12 January 2026
Last year we launched our resource Social work student placements in the third sector which is a
Voices and visions: collaborating for improved third sector social work student placements
a row of house roofs in black and white

Supporting People who Hoard: Spotlight on Fife

Wednesday 7 January 2026
This is our first story of innovation addressing some of the challenges around supporting people who hoard.
Supporting people who hoard
A group of people in different colors

Getting Chronologies Right for Everyone

Monday 1 December 2025
Earlier this year we published Leading Chronology Improvement, a tool to support reflection and self-assessment
Adult Support and Protection
'All resources' on the ASPire Hub

Making searching easier on the ASPire Hub

Friday 21 November 2025
It’s unbelievable how much the ASPire Hub has grown in its 15 months of life.
ASPire hub
An open laptop next to a notepad and pen

The Iriss Skills Sessions

Thursday 20 November 2025
We have just wrapped up our final Skills Session for the year (one of our Spaces to Grow activities), and it’s been a really excellent pr
Skills Sessions
a man in a luminous orange vest reading from a script

‘Healing Pitch’, authentic voices and improving practice

Monday 6 October 2025
At our second Iriss Skills Session, Dr Emily Whyte shared the creative and multi-disciplinary approach to working alongside care
Skills Sessions
a lady in a yellow raincoat with hair blowing in the wind looking out to sea

Adult Support and Protection belongs everywhere

Tuesday 16 September 2025
At the start of the summer, I wrote a blog about a new Iriss project I’m co-leading, all about professional curiosity in
Adult Support and Protection
a lakeside castle reflected in the water

Writing an anti-racist survey as a white person

Tuesday 19 August 2025
While it seems like it should be an indisputable statement that we are currently living in a society that is riddled with inequalities and was created by unequal power structures, this has become an…
Projects
Colourful illustration of path winding across rolling hills

Bridging distance

Tuesday 8 July 2025
Disabilities – Pathways and Perspectives is a resource. The hope is that it becomes a prompt for reflection, in and out of work, whatever each reader’s responsibilities, beliefs, uncertainties, stage…
Standalone projects
A squirrel looking curious from behind a tree

Curiouser and curiouser

Tuesday 24 June 2025
Iriss is embarking on a new project to find out all about professional curiosity across the public protection agenda - and we’re looking for interested folk to help us out.
Projects
picture of person writing with a pen

Writing with, not about

Thursday 19 June 2025
A group of practitioners from the Transitions Team in Scottish Borders Council asked us if we could support them with a shift in writing culture.
Projects
Illustration of crowd of colourful figures

Wisdom in the difference 

Tuesday 17 June 2025
Over the past few weeks, we have had the chance to listen to practitioners from across Scotland reflect on safeguarding and child protection…
Child Protection: update to the National Risk Framework
This must be the place in neon writing

Call for Learning Partners

Tuesday 17 June 2025
We’re looking for third sector learning partners in using a new Iriss resource developed to supp
Voices and visions: collaborating for improved third sector social work student placements
Illustration of head made up of household items

Effects of Clutter or Hoarding on people affected by it

Thursday 15 May 2025
One current estimate is that 2-5% of the population has issues with clutter/hoarding, but this is hard to estimate as there is so much shame for someone admitting they have a clutter or hoarding is
Supporting people who hoard
Groups of people discussing the resource for TSOs

This Must Be The Place(ment)

Thursday 8 May 2025
After working on it for a year, our resource to support social work placements in third sector organisations is here!
Voices and visions: collaborating for improved third sector social work student placements
Light up sign reading 'FOCUS'

Finding a Focus

Monday 14 April 2025
Project planning is full of decisions to make. What partners do you need? What will success look like? How responsive can your plan be to new information?
Voices and visions: collaborating for improved third sector social work student placements

© 2006–2025 Iriss, all rights reserved.
The Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services (Iriss) is a charitable company limited by guarantee.
Registered in Scotland: No 313740. Scottish Charity No: SC037882. Registered Office: 5 South Charlotte Street, Edinburgh. EH2 4AN