Social Care Direct

On this page:

• Adult Social Care
• Children and Families Social Care

Adult Social Care

If you think you or someone you know needs help, your first point of contact should be Social Care Direct.

Social Care Direct staff are fully trained to help you. Your enquiry will be listened to and dealt with as efficiently as possible.

Depending on the nature of your query, Social Care Direct staff will give you details of the best place to get the help you need or pass on information about any difficulties you may be having to your local social work office for an assessment of need.

With your permission, other people can ask for help on your behalf – this might be a relative or a friend. It might also be a professional who knows you well; for example, your GP district nurse or housing officer. It will be helpful if the person contacting us can give us as much information as possible about why you may require our services.

You can contact Social Care Direct at:
Phone: 0131 200 2324
E-mail: socialcaredirect@edinburgh.gov.uk

The opening hours for Social Care Direct are:
08.30 - 5.00 Monday to Thursday
08.30 - 3.40 Friday

Outside of these hours and on public holidays, the Emergency
Social Work Service can be contacted on 0800 731 6969.

Children and Families Social Care

If you wish to make an enquiry or request from Children and Families Social Work Services, please call Children & Families Social Care Direct (C&F SCD) on 0131 200 2327 - and not your local social work office. We are ready to take your call between 8.30am - 5.00pm Monday to Thursday and 08.30am - 3.40pm on Fridays.

Children at risk

If you are worried about a child and think they are at risk, then please also use call Children and Families Social Care Direct on 0131 200 2327.  If a call is assessed to be a child protection matter, then we will immediately follow our child protection procedures. Calls outwith these hours should be made to Emergency Social Work Services on 0800 731 6969.

Information for professionals

If you have a concern about a child whom you know has an allocated worker, then you should call the worker at their local office.

If you are referring for a new social work service or assessment from a Child and Family Centre, children's disability services, C&F OT, Prepare, or a Children's Practice Team is asked to submit their request in writing using the Service Request Form found at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/cfsocialcaredirect