A new national agency to provide leadership on social work in Scotland will go live by spring 2026, the Scottish Government has confirmed.
The National Social Work Agency (NSWA) will be an executive agency of the Scottish Government, tasked with developing policy on, and championing, the profession.
The NSWA will be formed from the existing Office of the Chief Social Work Adviser (OCSWA), which sits within the children and families directorate of the Scottish Government, and will have a similar headcount, of about 40 staff.
Its chief executive will combine this role with that of National Chief Social Work Adviser, which has been embedded in legislation for the first time, alongside the NSWA. The Scottish Government is now recruiting to this role, at a salary of £108,000-£117,000 a year.
The existing chief adviser, Iona Colvin, who has held the post since 2017, is stepping down but will form part of the interview panel for the new position.
The successful candidate will need to be a qualified, and registered, social worker as well as have extensive management experience at chief social work officer level or equivalent.
What the National Social Work Agency will do
The Scottish Government said the agency's functions would include:- contributing to national policy that impacts social work practice
- raising the profile of social work and championing the profession;
- taking a national approach to monitoring workforce numbers;
- supporting and driving improvement across the social work sector.
The Scottish Government said the partnership's aims would include developing a "joint vision for a skilled, supported and sustainable workforce" and aligning policy with frontline practice and implementation.
