FOI Request - Local Authority Children's Services Scotland

Request 101004014868

Please could you provide me with the following details:

1. The rate of Children in Need per 1000, in your area on 31st March for the preceding five years: 2024/25, 2023/24, 2022/23, 2021/22, 2020/21 (excluding children on a Child Protection Plan and Looked After Children). For clarity, that is, a child or children, as defined within the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, who are in need of care and protection as they are deemed unlikely to achieve or maintain a reasonable standard of health or development or if they are disabled/affected by the disability of a family member.

Workforce

Amongst Children’s Social Workers, over the period 1st October 2024 – 30th September 2025 please provide:

2. Total FTE Newly Qualified Social Workers in role for less than 2 years

3. FTE number of vacancies

4. % Turnover rate

5. % Agency worker rate

6. % Vacancy rate

7. % Absence rate

Caseloads

8. Number of cases held by children’s social workers on the 31st March 2026.

9. Number of cases held by children’s social workers on 31st March for the preceding five years: 2024/25, 2023/24, 2022/23, 2021/22, 2020/21.

10. The average number of cases held by individual social workers on the 31st March 2026.

11. The average number of cases held by individual social workers on 31st March for the preceding five years: 2024/25, 2023/24,2022/23, 2021/22, 2020/21.

Reviews

12. The number of Learning Reviews undertaken in the preceding four years: 2024/25, 2023/24, 2022/23, 2021/2022.

13. The Number of Child Initial Case Reviews undertaken in the year 2020/21.

14. The Number of Child Significant Case Reviews undertaken in the year 2020/21.