Guidance on the Role of the Chief Social Work Officer

Guidance on the Role of the Chief Social Work Officer is one of the key Changing Lives products. It flows from the recommendation contained in Changing Lives to strengthen the governance and leadership roles of the Chief Social Work Officer in response to the need for a new organisational approach to managing risk, which ensures the delivery of safe, effective and innovative practice in social work services. The guidance has been drafted by the Changing Lives Practice Governance Group and has been agreed with ADSW, COSLA, SOLACE and representatives of NHS CHCP Directors.

The Guidance aims to assist local authorities in the discharge of their social work responsibilities, as well as to help local authorities maximise the added value of the Chief Social Work Officer – both at a corporate and professional level.

A consultation exercise on the Guidance was launched by the Scottish Government on 26 September and will run for 12 weeks. This consultation, and all other Scottish Government consultation exercises, can be viewed online on the consultation web pages of the Scottish Government website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations