27/10/2026
Public service reform in Scotland will fail if care is treated as a cost to cut rather than an investment in prevention.
Scotland needs better investment in childcare, social care, support for unpaid carers and the care workforce.
Better care policies benefit everyone. From those who need support, unpaid carers looking after loved ones, to parents who need access to affordable, reliable childcare, care is essential to people’s lives and wellbeing.
Current work on public sector reform related to the adult social care sector has been framed around making “best use of the funding in the system”. Yet the Independent Review of Adult Social Care in Scotland, published in 2021, identified a “lack of focus on prevention and early intervention”.
Without greater investment, the sector risks continuing to rely on a system in which care workers face low pay, and the people who need care and support may not have their needs met.
The Scottish Government must recognise care as an essential part of prevention, rather than focusing on efficiency alone.
Investing in care means supporting people earlier and improving wellbeing.
A Scotland That Cares’ latest briefing sets out why care must be central to public service reform and how care policies can contribute to Scotland’s prevention goals.
Read, download and share the briefing: ascotlandthatcares.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/AScotlandThatCares-Embedding-Care-Oct-2026.pdf
