Children’s Services Social Work, which sits within the Education & Children’s Service Directorate, is a continually evolving and improving service designed to deliver high-quality assistance and support to children and families in need and/or at risk of harm.
Our values reflect the way the service operates as well as articulating aspirations for the future. We are a trauma informed service and committed to delivering the service with kindness, dignity, and compassion.
At any one time the Children’s Social Work Service provides support to around 2500 children and young people across Aberdeenshire with the ambition of safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of children, young people and their families The service comprises of twelve local Children & Families Teams, four residential Children’s Homes, a Throughcare and Aftercare service, a Crises and Youth Services Team, an Out of Hours emergency service, as well as our Wellbeing, Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking children, Adoption, Kinship and Fostering Services.
As well as contributing towards our key GIRFEC and Child Protection processes within Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership, our service specific priorities are –
- Safeguarding and promoting the well-being of children, young people and their families by:
- Assessing risk and providing protection from harm.
- Assessing need and working in partnership with families and other services to help children have the best start in life, recover from adversity and realise their potential.
- Improving and modernising service design and delivery.
Developing a competent and confident, trauma informed Children’s Services workforce that delivers on the outcome of the Care Review – The Promise.