Protest over social work shake-up

Unison hels protests outside the council's HQ

The public services union Unison has been protesting outside Edinburgh City Council's headquarters over its review of social services.

The local authority's overhaul was given added importance following the death of 11-week-old Caleb Ness, who was killed by his father.

Unison said it was concerned that the review did not address concerns about recruitment and children at risk.

It also said the council had ignored the views of social work organisations.

Edinburgh branch secretary John Stevenson, who attended the city chamber protest on Thursday, said: "All the inquiries, reports and evidence recognise that closer working between children and families, social work, community care and criminal justice is needed in child protection.

We don't have enough social workers, we have kids at risk with no social workers and we can't provide all the support services we need John Stevenson Unison

"But the council plans to split them up."

Mr Stevenson said that the British Association of Social Workers and the Association of Directors of Social Work shared unison's concerns.

He added: "We don't have enough social workers, we have kids at risk with no social workers and we can't provide all the support services we need in community care.

"Without significant investment that will not change in any new structure.

"So the reorganisation won't fix that, in fact, all the diverted effort will make it worse."

Job losses

The council's new department of education, children and families is expected to focus on youngsters' protection and welfare.

The restructuring is due to take a year to complete and is not expected to result in job losses.

Council leader Donald Anderson said it needed to ensure that staff were given adequate support to tackle difficult issues.

Caleb Ness was killed in October 2001 after being released from hospital into the care of his brain-damaged father and drug-addicted mother.

His father, Alexander Ness, was jailed for shaking his son to death.