Hansard

I will not set myself against the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. As Michael Russell will know, another report was published by the foundation this morning, which examines the picture across the United Kingdom. I am sure that during the debate and in summing up we will consider that in more detail.

Let us remember some of the other initiatives that are going on. There are the new community schools, free fruit schemes and breakfast clubs, which are all delivering for the children who most need our support. The educational maintenance allowance, which is to be rolled out, will allow more young people from low-income families to stay on at school and get the qualifications that they need for a better chance in life. Our children, particularly the most disadvantaged children, need a better start in life in their early years. They need better opportunities as they enter school and throughout adolescence, and they need better futures as they enter adulthood.

I do not accept that we are not making any progress; we are making progress, but we know that there is still more to do. I recognise that and do not shy away from it. However uncomfortable that is for us as politicians, it is critical for the children and families who have been failed in the past.

The recent child protection review and the recent reports by Audit Scotland and the Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals into youth justice and children's hearings highlight some clear lessons. They emphasise the impact of child poverty; the need to continue to focus on the most disadvantaged children; the need for services to work better together; the need for services to focus on what children really need; the importance of listening to children; and the need to concentrate on face-to-face work with children and families, rather than processes and the needs of the bureaucracy.

The Executive is trying to practise what it preaches. We have set up a new Cabinet sub-committee to oversee children's services. We have established the changing children's services fund—not to add to what is already being done, but to help to reform fundamentally services at local level. Following the most recent spending review, we will double the resources that are available to the fund.

We have brought together social work, schools, police inspectorates and others to work on the interagency audit and review of child protection. We will ensure they continue to work together. Irene McGugan spoke about placing child protection committees on a statutory basis. We should consider that proposal seriously and examine how it may best be done in the future. I want to explore a number of issues related to that.

The child protection review made painful reading. As a former social worker, I felt a sense of déjà vu. We have taken immediate action. We have introduced a three-year reform programme for child protection services. The First Minister has not attacked child protection services, as has been suggested. He has sent out the clear message that every agency—not just social work—has a role to play and must deliver. An expert team will oversee reform and tackle poor performance. If people are not improving services, it is right that we should tackle that problem, because children's lives are at risk. There will be a tough new inspection system to ensure that reform is delivered and a children's charter that sets out the support that every child has the right to expect. There will be additional investment in helplines such as ChildLine Scotland and ParentLine Scotland to allow them to reach more people.

I want to say something about social workers and, in particular, about the number of social work vacancies. I emphasise that this debate is not solely about social work services—it is about every service and agency. Everyone must find solutions, rather than assuming that child protection is a problem only for social work or for someone else.

In several authorities the level of social work vacancies is unacceptable. However, let us remember the facts. In 1999, there were 1,552 qualified social workers in local authorities working with children and families, but in 2001 there were 1,749 such workers. That represents an increase of about 13 per cent. Between 1999 and 2001, the number of fieldwork staff for children and families rose. Many people have moved from area teams to specialised projects, sometimes in the voluntary sector. It is ironic that additional funding that has been invested to expand services has not been matched by the necessary work-force planning. I want to address that problem.

Each year since 1999, the number of people entering social work training in Scotland has risen. In 2002 there were more than 200 more new students than in 1998. Between 1998 and 2002, the number of students completing courses has increased by 35 per cent—from 339 to 518. The number of people applying for social work training has also increased each year.

The early response to the recruitment campaign has been promising. Some people will say that the campaign is too little, too late. However, like many social workers—a number of members of the Parliament have worked in front-line social work—I believe that, when we face a problem, it is better to find a solution, to draw up a plan and to do something, rather than simply to complain. That is what we have done.