4.2 Provide impartial social work advice across government

The National Social Work Agency will have an important role to play within Scottish Government. Professional advice will support policy development and will advocate to ensure legislative changes affecting social work are informed by impartial professional advice.

Strategic objective: ensure ministers and Scottish Government policy colleagues receive impartial, professional social work advice that informs policy development and decision-making to protect people and uphold human rights

Outcome: Scottish Government policy and Ministerial decisions are strengthened and well informed by impartial social work advice, resulting in evidence informed and rights based policy outcomes, supporting human rights protections and improving outcomes for people in contact with social work services

During 2026/27 our work in this area will focus on:

• providing social work advice to Scottish Ministers, across portfolios
• leading responses to risk, to support national approaches to safeguarding
• collaborating across the Scottish Government to provide social work advice, improve understanding of the profession and its role in delivering national outcomes, upholding people’s rights and supporting social justice
• national co-ordination of policy affecting social work
• collaborating across the National Social Work Agency, the Scottish Government and sector partners to anticipate emerging issues through proactive analysis and to support a coordinated response