The Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care is funded by the Scottish Government and is a partnership of The University of Strathclyde, The Robert Gordon University, Who Cares? Scotland and Langside College.
© 2008 Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care (SIRCC). All rights reserved.
Information on the Sector
The current context for Scotland's residential child care services is described below (including the latest available statistics). Further background information is available in Home Truths: Residential Child Care in Scotland A Context Paper.
Children and Young People
- Nearly 13,000 children were looked after by local authorities on 31 March 2006*
- This is 1.16% of the child population and the highest proportion of children looked after since 1982
- Of those 1638 children were in residential child care (13% of the looked after population), this has decreased substantially in the last 30 years, and stabilised in the last decade
Residential Establishments
SIRCC's Residential Unit Database (RUD) identifies 256 residential establishments throughout Scotland in 2007. Residential child care is provided in:
| Setting | No. of Children |
|---|---|
| Total | 1,638 |
| Local authority homes | 737 |
| Voluntary and private sector provision | 84 |
| Residential schools | 663 |
| Secure accommodation | 78 |
| Other residential accommodation** | 76 |
Residential childcare workforce
The RUD indicates 4,688 child care staff employed in residential child care in Scotland in 2007:
- 3,806 full time
- 882 part time
- 41.4% are employed in the local authority sector
- 41.7% in the voluntary/independent sector
- 16.9% in the private sector
Qualification levels
The residential child care workforce is becoming increasingly more qualified. SIRCC has undertaken audits of the qualification levels of the workforce. Results from the 2007 Audit show a marked increase in qualified staff who have achieved qualifications and remained in the sector since the 2004 Audit:
- 3330 (72.2% of sector) residential staff responded (up from 3070 in 2004)
- 32% are currently qualified, 68% are not
- Of those not qualified, 22% are undertaking qualifications and will be qualified on completion
- Assuming these are achieved, the number of qualified and potentially qualified staff increases to 54%
- These figures surpass the numbers predicted in the 2004 audit
| Currently Qualified | Qualified When Achieved Current Award | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 2007 | 2004 | 2007 | |
| Totals | 18% | 32% | 29% | 54% |
| Manager | 7% | 39% | 24% | 66% |
| Supervisor | 30% | 39% | 39% | 64% |
| Care Worker | 16% | 30% | 28% | 51% |
* All figures are from Scottish Executive Looked After Children statistics 2005-06 unless otherwise stated. Scottish Executive, (2006).
** Other residential accommodation: in women's refuge, in local authority hostel for offenders, in voluntary hostel for offenders, in local authority hostel for drug/alcohol abusers, in voluntary hostel for drug/alcohol abusers (Scottish Executive, 2005-06 Children Looked After Survey Guidance notes)