Claim that children’s support is coping despite low staffing levels

Fife Council claims its support for children and families has improved significantly, despite a lower than average number of social workers.

The authority has 3.8 field workers per 1,000 children, an increase on the 2.6 recorded in 2015 when it introduced a new way to deal with increases in the number of looked-after children and the cost of purchased placements.

However, the staffing level remains below the national average of five per 1,000 and is among the lowest of all of the Scottish authorities.

Dougie Dunlop, head of education and children’s services, said there had been a reduction in the numbers of looked after children and placements on the child protection register.

Since 2015 the number of looked after children has fallen from 1,023 to 949, below the 1,164 expected, given Fife’s high levels of child poverty.

The progress was reported to the council’s education and children’s services committee in the wake of a warning from charity Fife Gingerbread that a funding crisis could lead to it withdrawing support from more than 250 families.

Committee member Kathleen Leslie voiced concern about the staffing levels, saying: “Although they have increased they still seem to be relatively low.

“Gingerbread, who may be facing a cut to their funds, said if they are not able to see all the families that need their support they will go to social work.”

Mr Dunlop said: “I don’t think it can be emphasised enough how much the increase in staff from where we were has transformed the service.

“It has been absolutely fundamental to changing the way we work.”