That’s one of the key findings in our second Have Your Say Workforce Wellbeing Survey Report, published today (1 June 2026).
The survey was carried out on our behalf by Diffley Partnership during January and February with 5,767 members of the social service workforce responding and 28 people taking part in focus groups.
Survey respondents describe deep fulfilment in making a difference, forming relationships and contributing to positive outcomes. These intrinsic motivations remain at the heart of the profession. What respondents ask for, repeatedly and clearly, is not a change in what they do, but a change in the conditions that shape their ability to do it well.
Key message from the report
‘Scotland’s social service workforce remains profoundly committed to the people it supports yet that commitment is being tested by structural pressures that are seen to be deepening over time. Across social work, adult social care and children and young people’s services staff describe a sector where professional purpose and values continue to run strong but where the conditions required to sustain high quality compassionate practice are increasingly compromised.’
Welcome
Welcoming the report findings SSSC Chief Executive Maree Allison said:
‘It’s good to hear from so many people in the social service workforce in our second Have Your Say survey.
‘I’m pleased that survey respondents feel valued for the work they do, are motivated by building relationships and contributing to positive outcomes for the people they support.
‘Although like last year, the survey report highlights continuing challenges for the workforce, including staff turnover, time to do their job well, pay and conditions.
‘One of the key points for us this year is that 32% of respondents said they felt valued by the SSSC, while over 50% were neutral or said they didn’t know. We recognise there’s more we need to do to support the workforce, so more people feel valued by us.
‘We’re running this annual survey to help build a picture over time of the experiences of the social service workforce and their wellbeing. We’ll use it to help amplify your voice in discussions with Scottish Government and other key partners, as well as helping improve our services and support.’
Hear more from Laura Lamb, Director of Workforce Education and Standards
What we found out from the survey
- Respondents reported high levels of motivation and commitment to their work. Almost everyone enjoyed at least one thing about their job. The top enjoyable aspects were making a positive difference to people’s lives (79%), building relationships with the people they support (69%) and feeling that the work is meaningful or rewarding (63%).
- The majority of respondents said they feel valued for the challenging work they do by the people they support (75%) and by their colleagues (77%).
- Nearly every respondent shared at least one positive motivation for starting their social service career, with making a difference and expecting to love the job coming out top.
- Respondents also showed positive attitudes towards developing their skills. A high proportion (79%) of respondents were motivated to develop their knowledge and skills and 73% agreed that training and learning opportunities are available. The majority (62%) agreed that they get the right training to do their job well.
- Alongside these strengths, respondents reported several challenges of working in the sector, including workforce capacity. 32% reported ‘high’ or ‘very high’ turnover in their workplace and a lack of time, while only 36% feel they have enough time to do their job well.
- 24% reported they had experienced a stress or mental health related absence in the previous year. Of those, 76% said the absence was directly caused by work. The most common causes of stress are too much work, paperwork and bureaucracy, national and local budget pressures.
- These findings are consistent with last year, particularly in levels of motivation and job satisfaction, and highlight the strength of professional values across the workforce.
- There are, however, differences across the workforce. While common pressures are reported across social work, adult social care and children and young people’s services, experiences vary.
- Social workers are more likely to report high workload and lower morale, social care workers report stronger morale but lower pay and access to benefits and children and young people workers are more likely to report barriers to training and limited time for learning.
Kristina Robb, Workforce Development Manager also welcomes the findings.
What needs to change?
The findings highlight the need for action across the sector, including employers, policy makers, national and local leaders and workforce planners, to address workforce capacity, working conditions and access to learning.
Our challenge is to use these findings to influence change and improvement across the sector and help you feel more connected to us and our work, to make sure you get the support you need and feel valued.
While the workforce is positive about developing their knowledge and skills there were a range of concerns captured about funding for qualifications and access to the right learning at the right time. We’ll continue to liaise with funding providers and key partners to share your concerns. We’re also improving our learning resources and continuous professional learning (CPL) information and guidance.
What’s next?
We’ll engage with key decision makers to help shape policy and improve practice across the sector.
We’re holding an online engagement event at 11am on 30 June 2026 to share key messages and experiences from the survey. It’s open to anyone in the workforce or with an interest in the findings and you can book your free place on the event page.
We’ll hold a series of events for different parts of the workforce to look at more detailed analysis of the findings for them over the coming months. Look out for booking information in the SSSC newsletter.
The events are one part of our strategy to be an effective voice for those working in social services.
Background
We carry out the Have Your Say Workforce Wellbeing Survey because our intelligence tells us that the social service workforce wants us to amplify their voice and influence policy decisions. In our Strategic Plan 2026-2029 we’ve committed to strengthen opportunities for you to share your experiences, insights and concerns in ways that are heard, respected and acted on.
The Have Your Say survey, carried out each year by an independent research company, is an example of how we’re creating safe spaces for the workforce to share their views. We’ll launch the 2027 Have Your Say survey next January. Make sure you’re signed up to the SSSC newsletter so you hear about it first.
Read the 2026 Have Your Say Workforce Wellbeing Survey Report on our data website.