Tag: COSLA

Supporting people with complex care needs

New plan to help people live in their own communities

Almost 400 people with learning disabilities and complex support needs will benefit from £20 million of funding to implement the Coming Home Action Plan, which sets out measures to ensure tailored support and housing close to home, family and friends.

This will fund bespoke support, home adaptations, equipment and technology to enable people to return to their communities rather than spending longer periods in hospital than necessary or living in supported accommodation far from home.

Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing Tom Arthur said: “Every day spent unnecessarily in hospital is time away from someone’s community, family and friends. We cannot allow people to spend longer in hospital than they need to or to stay far from home just because they have more intensive support needs.

“We are beginning to see progress. The latest data shows that fewer people are delayed in hospital or placed in care settings far from home – but there is more to do. 

“I am pleased to see this £20 million funding bringing total investment in delivering the Coming Home agenda to £40 million since 2021. I thank Dr Anne MacDonald and partners for their commitment. Real change is delivered locally and this Action Plan, alongside additional investment, provides a strong framework for that.”

Cllr Paul Kelly, COSLA Spokesperson for Health and Social Care said: “We recognise the vital importance of ensuring that people with learning disabilities and complex needs spend no more time away from home than is absolutely necessary. COSLA remains fully committed to delivering the Coming Home Action Plan and to improving outcomes for the individuals and families we all serve.

“We have worked closely with the Scottish Government, Local Government, Integration Authorities, the NHS and Third Sector partners to develop the Action Plan and set out how we will jointly address these long standing issues. I am grateful for the significant commitment and time that all partners have invested in producing the Plan, which is published today. We now need to maintain that drive and collective focus as we move into delivery.

“Sustained, additional investment across the whole system will be crucial to ensuring that people with learning disabilities and complex needs can return home as quickly as possible.”

Dr Anne MacDonald, Chair of the Coming Home Short Life Working Group, said: “I’d like to thank colleagues across the sector for all their input to developing this Action Plan, which we hope will make a real difference to the lives of people with learning disabilities and complex support needs. 

“The Action Plan is focused on changes that will support people to live well in their local communities, to have choice and control about where they live, and to have their human rights upheld.”

Coming Home Action Plan

Easy Reader Summary

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Landmark deal for teachers

Scotland’s teachers to benefit from fully-funded classroom hours reduction

Scotland’s teachers will see a reduction in class contact time after a landmark agreement was reached – averting industrial action in schools.

A weekly reduction of 90 minutes will be introduced on a phased basis, with primary school teachers and those working in special schools benefiting from August 2027. Secondary school teachers will follow two years later.

The Scottish Government has committed to meeting the full cost of implementing this agreement, including £40 million in 2026-27 for the recruitment of additional teachers required to deliver the change.

Further funding to support this deal will be provided from 2027-28. An additional recurring investment of £1 million will be made to support rural and island communities that face challenges in recruiting teachers.

The deal was agreed by the Scottish Government and the EIS earlier this week before being ratified by COSLA during a meeting earlier today.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “This is a significant milestone for Scotland’s teaching profession. I am delighted that we have been able to reach a deal that works for teachers, parties in local government and most importantly our children and young people.

“I want to thank the EIS in particular for their constructive engagement and dialogue. This deal shows what can be achieved when we all work together in the interests of children and teachers. 

“Avoiding industrial action was essential – particularly at this critical time when pupils are preparing for their exams. This agreement ensures that any potential disruption to their learning has been averted.

“By giving teachers more protected time, we are taking meaningful action to reduce workload and stress, supporting a healthier, more sustainable teaching profession that will deliver better outcomes for children and young people across Scotland.

“This is a landmark investment in the teaching profession and in the quality of education that every child and young person in Scotland deserves.”

First Minister John Sweeney added: “I am pleased that agreement has been reached with the EIS and COSLA to suspend planned teacher strikes.

“This deal supports teachers, protects learning time for pupils, especially those preparing for exams, and shows what can be achieved through constructive partnership.”

COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Ricky Bell, commented: “COSLA Leaders met this morning (Friday) to consider the issue of Reduced Class Contact Time (RCCT) and the potential for industrial action by members of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS).

“Following considerable deliberations among council leaders, COSLA agreed to support the proposed way forward – fully funded by Scottish Government – which we expect will enable the EIS to rescind their notice to strike.

“The joint statement agreed with the Scottish Government and the EIS commits Local Government to developing implementation plans for the introduction of Reduced Class Contact Time of 90 minutes per week. We recognise that concessions have been made on all sides.

“Despite concerns being expressed by councils, in the interests of reaching a constructive way forward and attempting to avert planned strike action, Leaders have agreed to support the joint approach. Throughout implementation, COSLA will always prioritise what is in the best interest of children and young people.

“Further detail will be negotiated through the SNCT.”

The EIS has announced that it is suspending all planned industrial action over teacher workload, following an agreement being reached between the EIS, Scottish Government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA).

A draft agreement, approved earlier this week by both the EIS and Scottish Government, was also approved by COSLA leaders at a meeting earlier today.

The draft agreement, as approved by all three sides, will now pass to the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) for formal approval and implementation.

The agreement will deliver the promised 90-minute per week reduction in the maximum class contact time for teachers as a means to tackling excessive teacher workload and to provide more time for teachers to undertake important areas of activity such as the preparation and correction of pupil work.

Commenting today, EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, “The EIS is extremely pleased that a negotiated outcome, which has been approved by all sides, has now been achieved in this long-running dispute.

“This agreement will have a positive impact on teacher workload and will help to create more jobs for the many newly and recently qualified teachers currently seeking secure employment in schools across Scotland.

“This is a positive outcome for Scottish education, and for teachers and pupils. It will deliver more teachers into our schools, with a positive impact on teacher workload and the creation of an improved learning environment and experience for pupils.”

Ms Bradley added, “It is the collective strength of Scotland’s teachers, working through the EIS, that has delivered this positive outcome.

“We are extremely pleased that both the Scottish Government and COSLA have listened to the very clear message that was sent by EIS members, and have now agreed the way forward on these positive changes for Scottish education.

“This agreement will help to deliver a brighter future for our schools, and for all teachers and pupils across Scotland.”

Strengthening additional support for learning

Delivering better experiences for learners, teachers and practitioners to thrive

A rapid review of Additional Support for Learning (ASL) has set out recommendations to ensure young people’s evolving needs continue to be met across Scotland.

Professional Education Advisor Janie McManus’ expert review of ASL said that clearer expectations, stronger pathways to support across education, health and social care, and early interventions should underpin the next steps in delivering Additional Support Needs (ASN) provision in schools.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth welcomed publication of the review outcomes and accepted the recommendations in a speech to practitioners – the first in a series of national events on ASL convened by the Scottish Government.

In her address, Ms Gilruth also confirmed that an app to streamline administrative tasks and free up teachers’ time to focus on pupil needs would be rolled out more widely later this year, backed by £700,000 government funding, subject to the success of ongoing pilots in six council areas.

Ms Gilruth said: “I am grateful to MSPs from across Parliament for their constructive engagement on the additional support needs review. I am also thankful to Janie McManus for leading this short, sharp review into ASN, with clear recommendations for the next Scottish Government to address.

“The pandemic was an undoubtedly challenging time for schools, but none more so than for our additional support needs pupils. It is with the needs of those young people in mind, that we have come together to work collegiately to drive the improvement we all want to see in Scotland’s inclusive schools.

“Across the country our teachers and school staff display extraordinary commitment working with pupils with ASN to provide a nurturing, supportive environment. Through our investment in the CivTech programme, we are seeing how technology can be harnessed to cut the time spent on paperwork and free up valuable time for teaching and learning, helping ensure teachers and school staff have the time to focus on what matters most – their pupils.”

COSLA Children and Young People Spokesperson Cllr Tony Buchanan said: “We welcome the final progress report on the Additional Support for Learning Action Plan.

“Six years after Angela Morgan’s review, progress has been made, though more remains to do. We now better understand the needs of children and young people, supported by new tools and stronger partnerships.

“Local and Scottish Government must continue working together with a shared vision that enables local and individualised approaches. We note Janie McManus’s report and will consider it jointly with Scottish Government.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition commented: “While we welcome the outcomes of the expert review on additional support for learning (ASL), including the call for timely access to specialist services across education, health and social care, and early intervention, there needs to be adequate resourcing in place to turn this vision into a reality.

“Across the last decade, spending per pupil on ASL has declined by almost a third, and there have been cuts in the like of specialist ASN teacher numbers, which have been slashed by 240 over the same time period. We are facing a lost generation of vulnerable children and young people who are not getting the care and support they so vitally need.

“We would urge the Scottish Government to prioritise the windfall that will come from proposed increased spending on those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in English schools, on those Scottish pupils with ASN.

“With more than two out of five pupils identified with additional support needs, and the Scottish Parliamentary elections forthcoming, we would additionally urge the political parties to concentrate on this issue as they draft their manifestoes and for the public to focus on what these parties intend to do if voted into office.”

Council leaders urged to agree package to avoid industrial action in schools

Joint letter from Education Secretary and teaching union

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth and General Secretary of EIS Andrea Bradley have written a joint letter to all council leaders, urging them to take the decisions needed to avoid industrial action.

The letter states:

“We are writing to you ahead of tomorrow’s Cosla Leaders meeting to urge you to take the decisions needed to avoid industrial action and to join us in implementing a reduction in class contact time (RCCT). Both Scottish Ministers and the EIS have now signed up to the plans to implement the 90- minute RCCT across Scotland that you will be considering tomorrow. It has taken a lot of intensive work to get to this point.

“It is clear that an agreement can now be reached that would see RCCT implemented by August 2027 in Primary and Special Schools, and by August 2029 in Secondary. This phased approach is intended to give councils the time and capacity required to manage recruitment and local planning effectively, and the Scottish Government and teacher unions will work with you to assist in that task.”

Reduction in class contact time: Letter to council leaders – gov.scot

Joint long-term alcohol and drugs strategic plan launched

A new plan to reduce deaths and harms caused by alcohol and drugs has been published.

The joint Scottish Government and COSLA plan aims to improve collaboration between government and grassroots delivery with a locally-led, accountable system, guided by clear national direction and support.

Backed by more than £160 million in 2026-27, the plan builds on the Scottish Government’s five-year National Mission on Drugs which ends in April.

A key priority is to expand treatment standards to include alcohol and all drugs. It has a renewed focus on prevention, with specific measures to stop people from developing problem alcohol and drug use. It also maintains support for residential rehabilitation with a focus on improving pathways through detox, crisis care and stabilisation.

The plan is underpinned by a human-rights based approach. This ensures that people with first-hand experience help shape the design and delivery of services and receive person-centred support.

Speaking at the Haven residential rehabilitation service, which has received £600,000 for eight additional beds, Drugs and Alcohol Policy Minister Maree Todd said: “The last five years have seen record investment in alcohol and drugs services, with significant progress, but we want to do more. This plan marks the next phase in our response to tackling alcohol and drug harms.

“We are already widening access to treatment, residential rehabilitation and life-saving naloxone, and Glasgow hosts the UK’s first Safer Drug Consumption Facility. As we respond to new challenges – including an increasingly toxic drugs supply – this plan refocuses our efforts in a more co-ordinated and sustainable way.

“As a joint Scottish Government and COSLA initiative, this plan will strengthen national and local partnership working so that people can receive the right help when and where they need it.”

The plan is aimed at preventing initial harm and supporting long-term recovery and wellbeing and focuses on four interconnected areas:

·       prevention and early intervention

·       harm reduction

·       treatment and care

·       the wider circle of support.

Priorities include strengthening local delivery, supporting the voluntary sector and workforce and improving data, research and evidence.  

COSLA Health and Social Care spokesperson Councillor Paul Kelly said: “Far too many individuals and families continue to be affected by drugs and alcohol harms. We need to do everything we can to support people, which requires us to work across spheres of government.

“Bringing local and national government together for the first time in this way represents a step change in how we plan and deliver support for people affected by drugs and alcohol.

“Local government works closely with our communities, across a range of preventative services, and has strong local knowledge of the challenges our communities face.

“No single service can respond to the ongoing challenge of drugs and alcohol harms. It is only by working in partnership, investing sustainably in vital supports and through the co-ordinated efforts of the whole system, that we prevent issues before they arise and support people to sustain recovery.”

The Haven Chief Executive Gary Lister said: “Through its holistic, recovery-focused programme, The Haven supports individuals to rebuild their lives, restore family relationships and move towards long-term recovery.

“The Scottish Government’s support for the current expansion of the facility — including eight additional residential beds and enhanced living spaces — will help ensure more people can access the safe, structured support they need to begin that journey.”

Paul Waterson, SAIP Chair said: “The Scottish Alcohol Industry Partnership is committed to promoting responsible consumption and tackling harmful drinking. The data show that progress is being made in tackling harmful consumption, but more needs to be done.

“Scotland has had in place for many years a wide-ranging whole population approach. What is needed to make further progress is greater focus and more action to deliver targeted interventions such as community alcohol partnerships, and a greater use of assertive outreach.

“We welcome the commitment to engagement with business and industry on the alcohol harm prevention plan to be published later in 2026.”

Preventing Harm, Promoting Recovery: Scotland’s Alcohol & Drugs Strategic Plan 2026 – 2035

Working Towards Achieving a More Balanced Population in Scotland

COSLA LAUNCHES FIRST IN A SERIES OF WHITE PAPERS

COSLA has launched Working Towards Achieving a More Balanced Population in Scotland, the first in a series of white papers to be published in advance of the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.

Scottish councils are facing increasingly complex and deeply rooted population challenges, and COSLA is calling for urgent, coordinated action to address them.

This paper provides a detailed examination of these issues and sets out practical recommendations across key policy areas to support a more sustainable and balanced population.

Launching the paper, COSLA described achieving population balance as a central priority for Scottish local government.

With some areas experiencing rapid growth, others facing significant depopulation, and many managing both pressures simultaneously within their boundaries, the need for strategic intervention has never been greater.

COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson, Cllr Maureen Chalmers, said: “I am delighted to be launching our population white paper today.

“Achieving a more balanced population is a priority for Scottish Local Government and COSLA, and it is imperative that this remains a priority for the new Scottish Government administration following the election.

“Our white paper highlights the diverse population challenges faced by councils across Scotland, from those that are experiencing rapid population growth, to those facing critical depopulation, as well as the many dealing with both challenges within their council area. It proposes recommendations across three key priority areas: economy, workforce and jobs; housing; and transport.

“Scottish councils are best placed to lead population balance efforts but require support from both Scottish and UK Government to achieve our aims.

“We are calling on our national politicians to commit to working with us to implement the recommendations that we have set out today.”

Population White Paper

Population White Paper – Executive Summary

EIS Formally Issues Industrial Action Notice in Teacher Workload Dispute

The EIS has issued formal 10-day notice of its intention to call its members to take industrial action over workload. 

The industrial action will include national days of strike action, additional days of strike action in key target areas, and an ongoing national programme of Action Short of Strike (ASOS).

The issuing of 10-day notice is a legal requirement, and must be issued before any industrial action can commence. The issuing of notice does not compel the EIS to undertake strike action, but enables it to call its members out should a resolution to the dispute not be achieved within the next 10 days. 

Whilst the EIS recognises the progress in negotiations made in the last 24 hours, following this week’s EIS statutory ballot result, a firm agreement from the Scottish Government and COSLA to work together to deliver past promises on teacher workload and jobs, has not been forthcoming.

Commenting, EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, “In issuing these formal notices of the intent to commence industrial action, the EIS is complying with the legal requirement to give notice of such action.

“This allows us to keep our options open, within the confines of current trade union law, and retain the option to call on our members to take industrial action, should it be required to ensure a resolution to this long-running dispute.

“Some progress has been made in the past 24 hours but so far, we have nothing in writing to reflect the commitment of the Scottish Government and COSLA to deliver on past promises.”

Ms Bradley continued, “The EIS remains fully committed to seeking a negotiated solution to this dispute, and will remain available in the coming days and before the closing of this 10-day window for meaningful discussion with the Scottish Government and local authority employers, through COSLA.

“We would urge those other parties to use this window wisely, and to move swiftly to ensure that an agreement can be reached to end this dispute, in the best interests of learners and teachers across Scotland.”

Ms Bradley added, “What we need to see from the Scottish Government and COSLA is surety over what they are offering to teachers. “After five years of waiting, and more than a year in dispute, Scotland’s teachers and the EIS will expect to see a firm and binding commitment, in writing and signed by all parties, before we are willing to remove the prospect of industrial action being undertaken in Scotland’s schools.”

Further information on the specific planned dates for industrial action will be issued next week. 

Responding to the EIS announcement that the teachers’ union has received a mandate for industrial action over teacher workload, Cllr Ricky Bell, COSLA Resources Spokesperson said: “COSLA notes the outcome of the EIS ballot for industrial action about reducing the weekly time teachers spend delivering lessons. With Scottish Government, COSLA continue to engage with the unions on the subject.

“Industrial action is in nobody’s interests, and we urge unions to work with COSLA and Scottish Government to find a solution all parties can agree rather that threaten to disrupt education at this crucial time of year.

“We recognise that supporting teachers is essential. However, this needs to be facilitated in a way that ensures a positive impact on outcomes for children and young people.

“COSLA remains committed to constructive engagement with the Scottish Government and teaching unions through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) on the implementation of the Ministerial commitment to reduce class contact time.

“Concerns about the financial and practical implications of this policy remain. RCCT cannot be delivered without full funding and a clear understanding of its impact on children and young people.”

Scotland needs to stop centralising care and start trusting councils

WHEN we talk health and social care in Scotland, the debate tends to orbit big numbers and long-term policy frameworks (writes Councillor PAUL KELLY, COSLA Spokesperson for Health and Social Care) .

But from where I sit, speaking to councils and communities every day, the reality is far more immediate. It’s about people waiting longer for help, care workers stretched too thin, and a system close to burnout.

The £750 million COSLA is calling for isn’t a throwaway figure. It’s what’s needed just to stabilise social care and start rebuilding confidence, and right now, integration authorities are staring down a half-billion-pound deficit. That’s not theoretical. It means fewer care packages, longer waits, and more families left in limbo.

We can’t keep papering over the cracks. Care isn’t a luxury – it’s the infrastructure that allows people to live with dignity in their homes and communities and if we fail to fund it properly, we’re choosing crisis over prevention every time.

I’ve seen what good looks like, councils across Scotland are proving that when local partners are trusted, empowered and resourced, they deliver. Hospital admissions go down, delayed discharges drop and people get to stay in their homes, with the right support around them.

But the truth is, those successes are happening despite the system, not because of it.

Short sighted one-year budgets force local authorities into short-term firefighting, providers can’t plan, good staff leave for more stable work elsewhere.

The same goes for prevention, everyone talks about it but few fund it. Yet we’ve known since the Christie Commission in 2011 that unless we shift spending upstream, public services will buckle under the weight of demand. Fourteen years later, the shift still hasn’t happened.

The result? Hospitals are under strain, community are services stretched, and the most vulnerable people keep falling through the cracks. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Across Scotland, local authorities are already delivering services that tackle inequality at the source. From mental health and suicide prevention work to alcohol and drug partnerships, councils are embedded in the places where support makes the most difference, but they’re doing it with one hand tied behind their backs.

The evidence is clear, outcomes improve when decisions are made locally and in partnership with communities, we need government to match that ambition, not with more centralisation, but with trust, flexibility and proper funding at local democracy level.

If we want to get serious about health inequalities, that starts with recognising that most of the determinants of health – housing, transport, education, employment – sit within the remit of local government and you can’t improve population health without improving people’s lives.

So, here’s the ask: fund social care properly. Commit to multi-year budgets, back prevention, and most importantly, hand decision-making power back to local communities.

If we keep waiting for someone in the centre to fix this, we’ll still be having this conversation in ten year’s time, and the system will be in a worse place.

Local government is ready to lead, it just needs the tools to do the job.

COSLA calls on MSPs to back landmark European Charter Bill

COSLA is urging Members of the Scottish Parliament to support the passage of the Bill to incorporate the European Charter of Local Self-Government into Scots law, describing it as a historic opportunity to strengthen democracy, empower communities, and improve outcomes across Scotland.

Incorporation of the Charter would, for the first time, establish a clear legal framework for the relationship between national and local government, helping ensure decisions are taken as close as possible to the people they affect. It would also bring Scotland into line with other members of the Council of Europe, where the Charter’s principles are already embedded in domestic law.

Council leaders across Scotland have already expressed unanimous support for the Bill and believe its passage will help ensure local government can continue to play its full role in improving lives and reducing inequalities.

It would also strengthen the rights of local people to participate in decisions and help embed partnership working at the heart of Scotland’s governance.

Cllr Shona Morrison, President of COSLA, said: “This Bill represents a vital step forward for Scotland’s democracy and for the communities we serve. Incorporating the Charter into law will help ensure decisions are taken at the right level and that councils have the powers, flexibility and recognition they need to deliver the best possible outcomes for local people.

“Council leaders across Scotland have emphasised that the Bill would help modernise how governments work together, ensuring local authorities have the independence, flexibility and recognition they need to deliver for their communities.

“It will strengthen partnership working between national and local government, protect the rights of communities, and bring Scotland into line with international democratic standards.

“I would urge all MSPs, from across the political spectrum, to support the passage of this important legislation and help secure lasting benefits for Scotland’s people and places.”

SUCCESS!

Mounting financial pressures will force tough decisions on health and social care services, says Scotland’s spending watchdog

CONCERNS OVER IJB FUNDING GAP

Integration Joint Boards (IJBs), together with their NHS and council partners, must urgently take decisions on where to redesign, reduce or discontinue services.

Funding to Scotland’s 30 IJBs increased by over two per cent in 2024/25 to more than £12 billion. But this was insufficient to meet rising costs and demands, with many IJBs using dwindling reserves to help meet the almost £450 million gap between demand and available funding. This is not sustainable.

Increasing demand, rising costs and a growing number of people with long-term complex needs are placing mounting financial pressures on IJBs. The boards have reached a critical point, with a significant risk they will become financially unsustainable within the next 12 to 24 months.

Alongside savings and using reserves, IJBs have been relying on substantial additional funding from their partners in the NHS and councils. IJBs need to plan their finances more realistically to reduce this reliance, as health boards and councils face their own significant financial pressures.

Malcolm Bell, member of the Accounts Commission said: “The cost of delivering services is rising faster than available funding.

“Tackling this could include difficult decisions about redesigning or reducing services, and whether new or additional charges need to be made. Whatever decisions are made, service users, their families and wider communities must be consulted.

“But without radical change the services delivered by IJBs can’t be sustained. The gap between funding available and the cost of meeting demand is widening, and the gap of nearly £450 million cannot be bridged with savings alone.”

COSLA Health and Social Care spokesperson, Councillor Paul Kelly, commented: “The Accounts Commission report on Integration Joint Board finances for 2024-25 confirms the stark reality our Health and Social Care Partnerships face: that severe financial challenges continue to pose a risk to the sustainability of social care, which threatens the every day lives of our most vulnerable citizens and communities.

“The challenges also threaten the sustainability of our councils, who have continued to prioritise social care, with an additional £163m invested over and above Scottish Government funding in 2024-25. This level of additional funding is unsustainable for partners, but in many cases the only option given the diminishment of reserves held by Partnerships.

“The report makes clear the validity and need for our budget lobbying ask of an immediate investment of £750m in social care. We will continue to press the Scottish Government for this investment to avoid further cuts, reductions and increased charges in future.”

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