We launched One Deal for Social Work in 2023 because social workers across Scotland continue to be under-resourced and undervalued for the professional services they provide. While comparable local authority professions, such as teachers, have nationally agreed pay and conditions, social workers do not. Differences in local authority pay levels mean social workers have unacceptable variations in pay and conditions. As a result of this, recruitment is influenced by the higher paying employers. This only serves to create movement in the existing workforce rather than dealing with the problem of having too few social workers and high levels of demand.

On top of this, high workloads and caseloads largely responsive to statutory intervention, protection, and crisis work are driving burnout in our profession. Social workers are too often asked to deprioritise reflective supervision and continuous professional learning (CPL), which we know are essential for a thriving professional social work service.

The people of Scotland should have access to high-quality, properly resourced social work services wherever they live. Of course, local services must be responsive to local need and support must be person-centred and tailored to the aspirations of individuals, families and communities.

 With our members’ support and over 1300 signatures on our petition, we have led the conversation. Major unions, which were initially opposed to our campaign, now actively support many of our asks. With the new National Social Work Agency being set up, along with a national social work partnership, now is the time for the change our members have told us they need.

A single set of nationally agreed terms and conditions is our end goal. However, we understand that implementing a change on this scale will take time. That is why we have arranged our campaign asks into 4 separate segments, which are ready to support work beginning immediately. 

Social work in Scotland needs to be nationally consistent, professionally respected, relationship-based and supported to thrive. These overarching segments can be implemented independently, and the individual asks of the campaign being put into practice could transform social work, both for those who work in the profession and those who receive support. 

We are working to ensure that terms and conditions are central to the focus on workforce support as the new National Social Work Agency, and importantly, Scottish Social Work Partnership (the tripartite partnership between COSLA, Scottish Government, and Social Work Scotland) get setup and begin work.

Thank you for your support,

SASW