The SHANARRI wellbeing indicators remain central to Scotland’s approach to supporting children and young people. As the sector evolves, there is increasing focus on how SHANARRI can continue to support better outcomes in a changing landscape.
For professionals, the future of SHANARRI is not about replacing the framework. It is about strengthening how it is applied in practice.
Where SHANARRI Stands Today
SHANARRI is widely understood and embedded across care, education and local authority services. It provides a consistent language for wellbeing and supports a more holistic approach to assessment.
However, challenges remain in how it is applied day to day.
These include:
- Inconsistent recording across services
- Fragmented systems and duplication
- Limited visibility of outcomes over time
- Increasing pressure on staff and resources
Addressing these challenges is key to ensuring SHANARRI continues to deliver meaningful impact.
Rising Demand and System Pressure
Demand for support is increasing across Scotland. More children and young people are experiencing complex needs, including mental health challenges, trauma and social inequality.
At the same time, services are operating under increasing pressure, with limited resources and growing caseloads.
This makes it more important than ever to ensure that frameworks like SHANARRI are supported by systems that enable efficient, consistent practice.
The Impact of Policy and Reform
Recent developments, including The Promise and the incorporation of the UNCRC into Scots law, are shaping the future of child wellbeing.
These initiatives place greater emphasis on:
- Rights-based practice
- Relationship-focused support
- Early intervention
- Accountability for outcomes
SHANARRI aligns closely with these priorities, but delivering on them requires improvements in how information is recorded and used.
The Role of Digital Innovation
Digital tools are playing an increasingly important role in supporting SHANARRI in practice. As organisations move away from paper-based and fragmented systems, there is an opportunity to improve consistency and insight.
This includes:
- Real-time recording of observations
- Shared access to information across teams
- Improved visibility of trends and outcomes
- Reduced administrative burden on staff
Geco Connect has been developed to support this shift by aligning digital recording directly with the SHANARRI framework, helping organisations apply it more effectively in everyday practice.
What the Future Requires
To ensure SHANARRI continues to support positive outcomes, organisations will need to focus on:
- Consistent application across all services
- Strong collaboration between professionals
- Clear and structured recording of wellbeing
- Effective use of data and insight
These elements will help ensure that SHANARRI remains relevant and impactful.
A Framework for the Future
SHANARRI has provided a strong foundation for understanding wellbeing in Scotland. Its future success will depend on how it is supported and applied in practice.
By combining a clear framework with improved systems and collaboration, organisations can continue to strengthen outcomes for children and young people.
See SHANARRRI in Practice
If you would like to see how organisations are preparing for the future of SHANARRI and improving wellbeing reporting, Geco Connect can help.
Book a demo to see how it works in practice.