News

Children from the age of three up to school leavers are to have direct access to social work services in a radical development to be pursued by Glasgow council.

Teams of staff from social work, health, education and community work will be available in schools to work with children and families experiencing difficulties in line with the council’s policy to integrate services. The initial costs of £1.4 million over two years will come from the Scottish executive.

Richard Barron, acting deputy director of education for Glasgow council, said: "There will be a specific social work person for every school or school cluster."

However, Barron admitted that because of Glasgow’s difficulty in recruiting qualified social workers, and the shortage in childcare services in particular, most basic team members will probably be at unqualified social work assistant level while being supervised and managed by a qualified member of staff.

In addition to the integrated school teams, Glasgow council is to develop two new community schools in the city in Easterhouse and Drumchapel. The development of community schools serving the wider community is part of the council’s drive towards local, integrated services with plans to develop 17 in total within the next five years.