Social work services in Dundee face “significant financial challenges” in the coming year, a major new report has warned.
Jane Martin, Dundee City Council’s chief social worker, warns her department faces a double blow of budget pressures and an increasing demand for its services.
Ms Martin says new ways of working will have to be developed to meet these challenges.
The social work department looks after vulnerable children and adults, provides care services and helps former prisoners re-adjust after their release from jail.
Ms Martin’s report says social work services are facing more pressure from demographic changes and increased public expectation. She said some services will have to be prioritised over others.
She wrote: “There will continue to be significant financial challenges which will require the development of new ways of working, service redesign and increasing prioritisation of scarce resources.”
A total of 611 children and young people were referred to to social work care and protection services in 2015/16.
The number of children on the child protection register rose to 75 from 64 the previous year while 39 child protection orders were made.
The annual report will be discussed by the local authority’s policy and resources committee when it meets on Monday.
It reviews the past 12 months as well looking ahead to the future challenges facing social work services and says services will be geared towards helping more older people who require care to stay at home and out of hospital for longer.
Ken Guild, convener of Dundee City Council’s policy and resources committee said: “This report provides an indication of the trends, priorities, challenges and opportunities experienced by the service in 2015/16.
“Importantly it also shows how dedicated staff have worked tirelessly to support vulnerable people across the city.
“At a time of such significant and fundamental change in the services and the way they are delivered it is important that we continue to have full visibility of progress and that staff are given the tools they need to keep on delivering high quality care.”
