Part 2 - Social Work Services
Section 4: Appointment of social work inspectors
16.Section 4 places the Scottish Ministers under a duty to appoint social work inspectors (“SWIs”). The section also places SWIs under a duty to carry out the functions conferred on them by the Act or any other enactment.
Section 5: Functions of Inspectors
17.Section 5 sets out the functions of SWIs under the Act.
18.Subsection (1) places SWIs under a duty to conduct inspections of and investigations into the provision of social work services and to encourage improvement in the provision of these services. “Social work services” are those services provided or secured by a local authority under the list of enactments specified in section 7(2) of the Act(1). The Scottish Ministers have power to amend that list by regulations.
19.Subsection (2) provides that an inspection or investigation is to be conducted in accordance with a timetable approved by the Scottish Ministers and any directions issued by them.
See the definitions of “social work service” and “social work services functions” in section 7(1) of the Act.
