Adult Support and Protection National Strategic Forum minutes: March 2026

Attendees and apologies

• Tom Arthur, Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing (Chair) 
• Vikki Milne, Scottish Government
• Gemma Graham, Scottish Government
• Ian Turner, Scottish Government
• Brenda Walker, National Adult Support and Protection Co-ordinator (NASPC)
• Holly Smith, Iriss
• Stephen Grimason, Scottish Police
• Marion Sandilands, Care Inspectorate (CI)
• Jamie Aarons, Scottish Government
• Joanna Macdonald, Scottish Government
• Alan Laughland, Adult Support and Protection Lead Officer
• Neil Gibson, Social Work Scotland
• Elaine Torrance, Chair of Conveners Group
• Ben Boyd,Social Security Scotland
• Gayle Devlin, Social Security Scotland
• Lisa Corrigan, Scotish Government
• Karen Shaw, Scottish Government
• Sinead Power, Scottish Government
• Clare Mcguire, Public Services Delivery Scotland
• Phillip Gillespie, Scottish Social Services Council
• Stuart Muirhead, Iriss
• Suzanne McGuinness, Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland
• Suzanne Swinton, Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance
• Slyvia Chatfield, Chief Social Work Officers Group and West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership
• Grace Gilling, Nurse Director and Chair of the Scottish Health Leadership Group Adult Protection

Apologies

• Jane Byrne, NHS Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)
• Maureen Scott, NHS Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)
• John Urquhart, COSLA
• Mike Harkin, Care Inspectorate (CI)
• Gordon Paterson, NHS
• Austen Smyth, The Richmond Fellowship Scotland
• Julie Paterson, Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland
• Claire Wilson, Social Work, Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership
• Susan Maclaren, Adult Support and Protection Convenor

Items and actions

Welcome, introductions and actions from last meeting

The Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing, Tom Arthur, welcomed everyone to the Forum. Members were asked to confirm approval of the previous meeting’s minutes. No issues were raised, and the minutes were approved.

Learning and development framework – publication and next steps

Brenda Walker, National ASP Coordinator (Iriss), provided an overview of the newly published Learning and Development Framework. Brenda provided a background on how the framework was produced collaboratively with the multi‑agency writing group. Members of this group included health, police, social work and voluntary sector representation. Informed by open workshops in December 2024, they were attended by a wide range of organisations and staff levels. Brenda noted the framework was also supported by the Stakeholder Reference Group and the ASP Learning and Development Network.

Brenda highlighted the publication of the framework on 19 February, just ahead of National ASP Awareness Day. Alongside this, Iriss created a 7‑minute briefing summarising high‑level framework content. Brenda details the three early adopter sites (island, mixed urban/rural, urban) who will provide structured feedback at 3 and 9 months. Around one year post publication a review is planned to incorporate early learning, identify gaps and refine content. Brenda highlighted Framework resources, Aspire session recordings and coordinator newsletters available via the Iriss ASPire Hub.

Joanna Macdonald commended the framework and emphasised the importance of grounding ASP improvement in lived experience and impact. Sylvia Chatfield highlighted challenges around training capacity and lead‑officer vacancies and suggested exploring additional support for areas with vacancies. Ben Boyd noted Social Security Scotland is already exploring how the framework aligns with trauma‑informed practice. Sinead Power referenced national work connecting ASP training with wider public protection training.

Action: To identify if there are challenges/vacancy issues around Local Authorities to implement framework.

Social Security Scotland (SSS) – safeguarding approach and current activity

Gayle Devlin presented an overview of Social Security Scotland and current safeguarding activity. Gayle gave a brief overview of the agency which was established in 2018. The agency now delivers 17 benefits (soon to be 18) to over 1 million people in Scotland. Workforce is estimated at around 4,300 colleagues, underpinned by values of dignity, fairness and respect. The SSS Safeguarding team is made up of a mix of social workers and nurses, supporting internal referrals and staff training. Gayle highlighted the number of ASP referrals received monthly from SSS, this information is not for publication. 

Gayle highlights the work to be done on staff capability in recognising safeguarding concerns, improved data‑sharing arrangements with social work, clarity around thresholds and responsibilities as a non care providing public body.

Elaine Torrance, Dundee Convenor, asked about strengthening referral pathways and visibility within local data. Ben Boyd confirmed Dundee does not appear anomalous in geographic referral patterns but will investigate further. Jamie Aarons highlighted the value of aligning SSS high value payment safeguarding work with other national programmes (Redress, Independent Living Fund) and availability of local ASP referral source data via the National Minimum Dataset (NMDS). Jamie highlights within the NMDS, partnerships are asked to report on referral sources and SSS is essentially put alongside DWP.  Jamie notes this is an opportunity for SSS involvement in the new Financial Harm Subgroup within the National Implementation Group (NIG). Vikki Milne welcomed SSS continued engagement with Social Work Scotland’s ASP subgroup.

Action: SSS to continue to engage with and contribute to national work going forward.

Learning reviews

Elaine Torrance provided an update on work across learning reviews. Elaine highlights the existing ASP Learning Review Guidance is well established and aligned with Child Protection approaches. The National Public Protection Leadership Group (NPPLG) is progressing multiple related workstreams, including mapping the broad review landscape.

Elaine details the need to streamline overlapping review processes to reduce duplication and impact on families, also to clarify governance responsibilities for the new Domestic Homicide and Suicide Review processes which is launching April 2026. Elaine highlights the Joint ASP/Child Protection (CP) Learning Review Working Group. Reviewer training has been delivered to over 150 practitioners, a national reviewer list now available. Work is underway to consider national escalation routes for cross‑cutting themes.

Vikki Milne highlights the Addendum work which is being drafted with the Care Inspectorate to support appropriate and proportionate learning arising from reviews that are not formal ASP or CP Learning Reviews. Vikki notes the strong emphasis on improving implementation of learning, not just conducting reviews. Recurring national themes (professional curiosity, information sharing, multi‑agency practice) are needed for consistent improvement support.

National Implementation Group (NIG) update

Philip Gillespie, Chair of the NIG, gave an update on the group. Phillip details the group last met on the 3 March 2026. Phillip notes over the last six months, there has been discussion in regards to the terms of reference of the group, as the group was originally set up to support the implementation of the ASP code of practice. The group is now moving into a space where the focus is on wider issues impacting on ASP delivery and ASP practice. The Chronologies subgroup have widened their remit and will continue to report to the Forum. Three new subgroups have been established which are;

• ASP in Supported Settings and Care Homes
• Financial Harm and Engagement with Financial Institutions
• Continuous Improvement (including contribution to the Scottish Learning and Improvement Framework)

Phillip highlights the ongoing support from Iriss in establishing the subgroups and supporting the subgroups to establish their work plan. Brenda Walker highlights a colleague from Iriss is currently working on a mapping exercise, undertaking the analysis of the ASP inspection reports from the last 4/5 years to identify patterns and themes to inform subgroup work.

Resource: Quality assurance for ASP referrals that do not proceed to inquiry

Alan Laughland, ASP Lead officer for East and Midlothian and co-chair of the inquiries, investigations, and role of the council subgroup presented the resource. Alan details how the guidance was developed to support consistent handling and scrutiny of ASP referrals that do not progress to an inquiry. Alan notes the guidance is asking for partnerships to have quality assurance processes in place.

Aims of the guidance include:

• ensuring all adults’ safety
• identifying potential missed opportunities for earlier intervention
• improving comparability of data nationally
• ensuring escalation protocols are in place for repeated referrals

Chief social workers will be made aware of the guidance and ASP officers will help with the dissemination. Implementation will be monitored at 6 and 12 months, including a national review of use and impact.

Jamie Aarons emphasised the important link between quality assurance and improved consistency in National Minimum Dataset reporting. Elaine Torrance noted particular issues around high volumes of police referrals and value in clearer thresholds. Vikki Milne highlighted Iriss’ ASPire Hub for past resources from the NIG and encouraged the forum to have a look.

The Forum endorsed the new quality assurance resource, this will be uploaded to the ASPire hub.

The New National Social Work Agency (NSWA)

Joanna Macdonald, Chief Social Work Adviser to the Scottish Government and the Chief Executive of the new National Social Work Agency, outlined final preparations for the launch of the National Social Work Agency on Tuesday 17 March 2026, a new public body. The vision of the agency is to strengthen, support and champion the social work profession nationally, provide professional leadership, promote consistency, and support implementation of national policy.

Joanna notes the structure of the agency, Angela Latta, is the Deputy Chief Social Work Adviser. There will be four Senior Professional Social Work Advisers, Jamie Aarons (Adults), Children (Newly appointed), Justice and Mental Health. These two posts are currently in interview stage.

Joanna details the difference the agency wants to make to Social Work professionals and to those who work with Social Work, fundamentally ensuring they are making a difference to people across Scotland. The agency will work closely with; COSLA, Social Work Scotland, SSSC and the Care Inspectorate. Joanna notes her role as advisor is now in statute and there's a statutory responsibility for an annual report from the NSWA. Iriss will support with this work going forward.

Joanna highlights the agencies strategic priorities, this will be a National training plan, improved professional governance, embedding social work voice early in policy development, enhancing implementation of ASP and wider public protection policy, strengthening supervision and support for social workers and council officers.

Joanna details the engagement that they are currently doing across all 32 partnerships, which should conclude by September 2026. They have currently visited 6 local authority areas and there is a real ask for the agency to support partnerships to deliver the best practice possible, support the workforce and to really recognise the value and difference they make.

Philip Gillespie asked how the NSWA could strengthen social work influence in multi‑agency settings; Joanna confirmed this is a central aim. Elaine Torrance asked about updating Chief Social Work Officer guidance; Joanna confirmed this is likely to be considered. Vikki Milne welcomed Jamie’s appointment and emphasised the importance of continued ASP/NSWA alignment.

Final remarks

The Minister thanked all speakers and attendees for their contributions and expressed his gratitude for the ongoing commitment to supporting adults at risk across Scotland. The Minister noted the next scheduled Forum meeting will be September 2026, subject to any changes arising from the forthcoming general election.