An inspection of Edinburgh Council’s children’s social work leadership found the service lacks an environment of trust among staff.
According to the Care Inspectorate study, some workers believed that complaints about crummy social work practices were n’t taken seriously or meetly addressed.
Also, it discovered that several workers did n’t trust the service’s elderly leadership, and numerous believed that their opinions and conduct weren’t well communicated.
Councillor Euan Hyslop, the prophet for SNP education, children, and families, stated that the administration needs to take” immediate and decisive” action to address the enterprises brought up by the study.
James Dalgleish, a Labour councillor and education convener, expressed his appreciation for the inspectorate’s disquisition and the council’s unvarying commitment to enforcing its conclusions.
The report “demonstrates the trip of enhancement” that the council’s children’s services platoon has experienced, he continued.
Lately, a new elderly leadership platoon was formed, and they’ve been working to enhance the administration of the service.
The inspectorate did discover that service leadership was improving and that efforts were obviously being made to make things even better.
Additionally, it discovered that “promising improvements” in the service’s operation had been made, which had helped children and young people.
Additionally, it stated that there was a “growing culture of trust and respect” among the service’s employees and line supervisors.
To guarantee “robust” delivery of care for children and young people, further effort was required, according to the assessment.
Children’s social care bosses will receive “support” from Care Inspectorate staff to guarantee that improvements are made.
What specific evidence did inspectors cite about the lack of trust?
Inspectors cited direct staff feedback from checks and concentrate groups revealing a pervasive” lack of trust” in leadership, with platoon directors expressing query about strategic direction amid rapid-fire service redesigns.
The November 2025 report stressed quotations like
” fast- paced changes without connection ages undermine confidence”
and” new elderly platoon not yet bedded relationally,” noting fractured governance where quality assurance dissociated from frontline practice. Internal checkups showed delayed performance data hindering oversight, while complaints from children bypassed formal fitness- to- practice processes.
Staff described overload from contending precedences without clear literacy pathways, differing with positive” basics beautifully” enterprise. Leadership conceded connection requirements but demanded unequivocal service- quality links, egging recommendations for commission- officer dynamics enhancement and robust reclamation like” grow your own” schemes.
