SOCIAL workers are struggling to deliver the services that children and families need due to understaffing, underfunding and a lack of resources, a survey by Unison Scotland has found. 

Almost three-quarters of social workers told the researchers that their teams did not have enough staff, while nine in 10 said that resources determine placement decisions when a child is taken into care.

An overwhelming majority said that the provision of intensive family support in their area was insufficient to meet the level of need.

Unison said that without the proper funding, the Scottish government would be unable to carry out its planned reform of the care service for children. 

Kate Ramsden of Unison’s social work issues group said: “Our members are telling us that they don’t have the staff or the resources to meet the needs of the children and families who rely on them. 

“We need to make sure children and families are at the heart of reform and we need to ensure decisions are child-led rather than resource-led.”