This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Social Work Inspection Agency report
16/03/2007
A performance inspection report relating to the social work services provided by the West Lothian Community Health and Care Partnership (CHCP) on behalf of West Lothian Council was published today.
The inspection, which covered all aspects of social work services between July and November 2006, found the quality of the impact of social work on the community to be excellent, and six out of ten areas rated as very good.
No area of evaluation was rated below a good standard.
The main findings by the Social Work Inspection Agency were:
- Most people who needed social work assistance were receiving very good services, with some service provision rated as excellent
- Significant progress had been made in the educational attainment of young people who were 'looked after'
- In relation to impact on the community, West Lothian achieved excellent levels of performance in income generation for people on low incomes and in health improvement
- High standards were evident in the way the service communicated and involved the wider community in its activities
- Elected members and senior officers, both in the council and CHCP, contributed to clear and effective leadership with indications that social work services would continue to improve.
The report makes seven recommendations for areas where improvement is required. These include:
- A reduction in the number of children and young people looked after away from home who experience three or more placement moves
- Significant improvement in the quality and level of support provided for young people leaving care
- Better outcomes for people with learning disabilities, particularly in relation to independent living, training and education opportunities
- Changes to the way some cases in adult and older people's services were being reviewed
- A more strategic approach to service planning, in relation to commissioning and the workforce
SWIA Chief Inspector Alexis Jay said:
"Today's report gives a very positive account of social work services in West Lothian. The evaluation highlights the quality of service delivered by the West Lothian Community Health and Care Partnership, on behalf of West Lothian Council.
"The report shows the impact this high quality of delivery is having on the wider community, and praises the effective leadership and management of staff who continually strive to improve outcomes for people who depend on social work services in West Lothian."
West Lothian Council is the eleventh council to be inspected as part of SWIA's performance inspections of all local authority social work services in Scotland. Each inspection focuses on the approach to continuous improvement of the local authority.