Reports

Despite a strong history of innovation and improvement in Scotland, some organisations have many structural and cultural features that impede its development by limiting risk taking and imposing tried and tested standardised solutions.

I introduced the topic of risk and innovation with a colleague the other day who managed to summarise some of the main challenges in a quick anecdote:

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).

Iriss has published two reports commissioned from the Glasgow School of Social Work on evidence-informed performance improvement.

This review provides an overview of the best available evidence in relation to 'what works' in increasing the percentage of people aged 65 and over with high level care needs who are cared for at home.

This is the aim of one of the Scottish Government's 45 indicators of success in achieving national outcomes identified in the National Performance Framework.

In 2004, a new multidisciplinary children's services inspection team based in Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) started to undertake inspections of child protection services in all 32 local authorities in Scotland. The authorities were inspected against 18 quality indicators on a six point scale ranging from Level 6, 'Excellent: Outstanding or Sector Leading', to Level 1, 'Major Weaknesses'.

This review provides an overview of the best available evidence in relation to 'what works' in increasing the percentage of people aged 65 and over with high level care needs who are cared for at home.

This is the aim of one of the Scottish Government's 45 indicators of success in achieving national outcomes identified in the National Performance Framework.

In 2004, a new multidisciplinary children's services inspection team based in Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) started to undertake inspections of child protection services in all 32 local authorities in Scotland. The authorities were inspected against 18 quality indicators on a six point scale ranging from Level 6, 'Excellent: Outstanding or Sector Leading', to Level 1, 'Major Weaknesses'.

A report for Iriss by Focused on Learning Ltd.

"The challenge for all councils now is to move social media off their list of challenges and on to their list of opportunities. If they don't, they face moving into a changing world under equipped and under-resourced. If they do though, they may find that the solutions they seek are right under their nose"

Scotland is facing an ageing population demographic and the implications have been widely discussed: the size of the available workforce; pressure on pensions; and how health and social care will support more individuals with emerging long term conditions. These implications coupled with a desire for public services to be more flexible and personalised to individuals, has led some local authorities to fundamentally redesign their approach to service delivery.