A to Z Index:

Housing and Social Work

The Housing and Social Work service is our second largest service. It has a revenue budget of £129.7m gross (£91.3m net of income) for Social Work and the Housing General Fund, and £44.3m gross (£5.3m net of income) for the Housing Revenue Account.

It employs 2,250 staff: 1,950 in Social Work and 300 in Housing.

Housing and Social Work policies and guidelines

Housing

Housing owns and maintains 12,973 houses for rent throughout Aberdeenshire - approximately 13% of all housing in the area (end January 2009).

The number of Council houses has been reducing each year due to Council house sales. At the end of January 2009, there were 7,000 people on the Council waiting list. In 2007/08 applications from 1,587 homeless individuals or households were considered.

The Housing service has prepared, with the assistance of tenant representatives, a Tenant Handbook.

Services

Social Work

Social Work provides services to 'people in need' throughout Aberdeenshire, whether because they need assistance with daily living, or because of infirmity, disability, addiction or mental health problems. A set of eligibility criteria has been agreed to help us decide entitlement to services. Some services are provided directly by us, while others are purchased from voluntary ("not-for-profit") agencies or the private sector.

Social Work works jointly in partnership with NHS Grampian, Grampian Police and the Courts, as well as with other services of the Council such as Housing and Education, Learning and Leisure.

A detailed database of all services for people in need or who have health, disability or addiction problems is available from Grampian CareData. This service is available at all Aberdeenshire libraries and at other selected sites throughout Aberdeenshire.

Social Work Service Performance Inspection

Our Social Work service underwent a full inspection between February and July 2006. This was done by the Social Work Inspection Agency (SWIA), an independent, impartial organisation aiming to improve social work service delivery across Scotland.

Every Local Authority Social Work Service in Scotland is inspected on a three year cycle. The Inspection team involved staff, carers, people who use services (including young people leaving care) and other partner organisations, in the process.

Overall, SWIA reported that we provide good services. Some recommendations were made to drive further service improvement and an action plan has been drawn up setting out how this work will be done and completed over the next 12 months.

Community Care

Child Care

Child Care provides a range of services in relation to 'Children in Need' and 'Looked After' Children including:

  • Advice and Support
  • Assessments
  • Casework
  • Child Protection
  • Family Centre, Intermediate Treatment and other intensive Support Programmes
  • Respite Care
  • Foster Care
  • Residential Care
  • Adoption

For further information on Childminders, Nurseries and Playgroups use the Aberdeenshire Childcare Information Service.

Child Care also provides services to the Children's Panel and the Courts, and has responsibility for the Registration and Inspection of Childminders and Daycare facilities.

Criminal Justice

  • Restriction of Liberty orders - piloted at Peterhead and Aberdeen Sheriffs Court
  • Provision of Social Work Service to HM Prison, Peterhead
  • Throughcare Services
  • Social Enquiry Reports for people appearing in Court
  • Probation services
  • Parole and Throughcare of offenders
  • Community Service Orders as an alternative to imprisonment
  • Supervised Attendance Orders

Criminal Justice is part of the Multi-Agency Community Strategy Group which is developing a Community Safety Strategy for Aberdeenshire. As part of this we are working closely with the Police and other agencies in terms of the requirements of the 1997 Sex Offenders Act.

Criminal Justice in Aberdeenshire, Moray, Highland and the three Island authorities, along with other relevant agencies, have formed one of eight Community Justice Authorities (CJAs) established across Scotland.

Headed by a Chief Officer, the CJAs will adopt a partnership approach in planning processes, improve communication between agencies and with communities, and provide greater integration and consistency in the development of services to manage offenders.

Policy, Planning Strategy and Information

  • Community Care Planning
  • Children's Services Planning
  • Housing & Social Work Service Plan
  • Aberdeenshire Adult Protection Committee
  • Development of policy and strategy
  • Emergency Planning
  • Best Value
  • Comments and complaints