Thank you to @Liam4Orkney for tabling Amendment 40 in Children (Bill) Scotland debate today. And huge thanks to @ScotsSW @Nagalro @Bhuchal @Basw_Cymru @HulmesAllison for giving the evidence from within the profession that has been lacking throughout the journey of this Bill.

Unfortunately, MSPs seemed unable to grasp the lack of evidence: the life altering delays currently experienced where Child Welfare Reporters are involved – more than 2 years in proceedings. https://section8.scot/2020/08/24/post-3/

The failure to conduct any analysis of child welfare reports in the last 10 years. The failure to consider capacity: @socworkscot are government funded (£800k/annum) & are solely concerned with Local Authority social work depts employing only 55% of registered social workers.

Even if available social work resource was a consideration, it is not in the best interest of children to lower the standard required to conduct welfare assessments. Such lowering of standards would not be sanctioned in other areas which share similar complexity.

A failure, too, to understand that the amendment would not exclude the expertise of other professionals from cases where this is required or would be beneficial.

Further representation will be made during the consultation for secondary legislation to ensure ALL Child Welfare Reporters are adequately qualified, experienced and skilled to undertake the complex and vital role of assessing children’s welfare.