Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) in Scotland: national overview report 2021/2022

9. Social Work Scotland

Social Work Scotland is the professional body for social work leaders, working closely with partners to shape policy and practice, and improve the quality and experience of social services.

The local authority is the Responsible Authority with primary responsibility for the management of individuals subject to statutory supervision in the community. The responsibility for the joint arrangements within a local authority lies primarily with the Chief Social Work Officer. However, other local authority services, such as housing, education and children and families, also have key responsibilities in relation to this function.

As a Responsible Authority, the local authority is a key member of MAPPA Strategic Oversight Groups and contributes to significant case reviews and implementing any related recommendations pertaining to practice, and adherence to legislation and guidance. The local authority is also a key member of local Public Protection Chief Officer Groups, and Social Work Scotland is represented on the Scottish Government MAPPA National Strategic Group by the Chair of the Justice Standing Committee.

Although the management of the vast majority of Registered Sex Offenders (RSO) is Police led for the purposes of MAPPA, justice social work supervise and manage MAPPA Category 1 RSOs subject to community payback orders and licences following release from prison. During 2021-22, they have continued to work in collaboration with other Responsible Authorities and DTC agencies to ensure the protection of the public. Over the past year justice social work have continued to:

• provide criminal justice social work reports and risk assessments to inform the court sentencing process;

• provide a Throughcare service to prisoners released on statutory supervision including ongoing risk assessment, developing risk management plans, contributing to the Scottish Prison Service's enhanced Integrated Case Management (ICM) process and providing reports to the Parole Board for Scotland; and

• deliver sex offender programmes to people subject to community payback orders and licences in the community. Justice social work professionals are also involved in contributing to the design and testing of the new Moving Forward 2 Change (MF2C) programme.

Local authorities are also the lead Responsible Authority for MAPPA Category 3, Other Risk of Serious Harm Individuals. This includes people who are not required to comply with the Sex Offender Notification Requirements and who are assessed by the Responsible Authorities as posing a high or very high risk of serious harm to the public (for example, people convicted of serious violent and domestic abuse related offences). As with RSOs, the local authority is responsible for holding the community payback order or licence and for taking immediate action to initiate breach proceedings with the court or the Parole Board where a person has breached their order or licence. This includes recommending immediate recall to prison where there is an imminent risk of serious harm.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, local authorities have continued to provide services and prioritised the management of individuals who present the most serious risk of harm. This has been challenging, particularly with Covid-related restrictions in place such as physical distancing and the closure of offices. However, local authority justice social work have maintained delivery of their MAPPA responsibilities and continued to make an important contribution to public protection.