The Progress We've Seen

• Social Care (Self Directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013: This act helped legally shift the narrative that individuals should have more choice and control over their care and support. [...] This means having one professional who is the key person to support and safeguard that child or young person. [...] • Continuing Care (Scotland) Act 2015: This act is meant to smooth the transition for young people leaving care. [...] Young people were also given more control over their care plans and what this transition will look like.3 • Mental Health (Scotland) Act 2015: This act further increased the rights for people with mental health conditions to choose their care and treatment. [...] This act also widened the scope for holistic support for individuals and families. Community-based support There are several acts which aimed to provide more community-based support which in turn focuses on people having lives that are more independent. [...] These acts have an impact on social work and social care because people will need different support within the communities than they would need in other settings. • Community Justice & Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010: This act was introduced to promote rehabilitation and reduce reoffending. [...] It focused particularly on restructuring community based sentences and reducing custodial sentences. • Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015: This act aims to include communities more in the development, decision-making and delivery of public services and support. [...] • Management Of Offenders (Scotland) Act 2019: This act extended the use of electronic monitoring, which made it possible for a more flexible approach to custody. [...] It aims to highlight the critical role of unpaid carers and linking unpaid carers better with social care and social work.5 Other policies, action plans and reviews • Christie Commission 2011: This enquiry highlighted that to provide better support for people across Scotland there needs to be a stronger focus on prevention to reduce the need for emergency support. [...] The Review also calls for a national approach to care which is currently in developing stages. The changes to policy and the law in Scotland have got us started, but they are not enough on their own to implement positive change.