The SHANARRI wellbeing indicators play a central role in how local authorities in Scotland understand, monitor and evidence outcomes for children and young people. Within the GIRFEC approach, local authorities carry statutory responsibility for ensuring that services work together to support wellbeing.
For leadership teams, SHANARRI is not just a framework. It is the foundation for accountability, inspection readiness and long-term improvement.
Local Authority Responsibilities Under GIRFEC
Local authorities are responsible for coordinating services across education, social work and other partners. This includes ensuring that:
- Wellbeing is assessed consistently across services
- Information is shared appropriately between professionals
- Support is planned and reviewed through the Child’s Plan
- Outcomes are monitored and evidenced over time
SHANARRI provides the structure that allows these responsibilities to be fulfilled in a consistent and measurable way.
SHANARRI and Inspection
Inspection bodies such as the Care Inspectorate and HMIe place strong emphasis on wellbeing and outcomes. Local authorities must demonstrate how services are supporting children and young people across the SHANARRI indicators.
This requires:
- Clear, structured evidence of wellbeing
- Consistent recording across teams and services
- The ability to show progress over time
- A joined-up understanding of each young person’s experience
Without this, it can be difficult to demonstrate the effectiveness of support during inspections.
The Challenge of Data and Reporting
Many local authorities face challenges in how SHANARRI data is recorded and managed.
Common issues include:
- Information stored across multiple systems
- Inconsistent recording practices between services
- Limited visibility of outcomes at leadership level
- Time-intensive reporting processes
These challenges can make it harder to build a clear, accurate picture of wellbeing across the authority.
Moving Towards Real-Time Insight
To strengthen reporting and accountability, local authorities are increasingly looking at how they can move from static reporting to real-time insight.
This means having access to:
- Up-to-date information on wellbeing indicators
- Clear visibility of trends and patterns
- Consistent data across services
- Faster access to information for decision-making
Digital platforms such as Geco Connect support this by aligning everyday recording with the SHANARRI framework. This allows local authorities to organise information once, improve consistency and gain clearer insight into outcomes across services.
Strengthening Accountability and Outcomes
When SHANARRI is applied effectively, it supports stronger accountability and better outcomes for children and young people.
For local authorities, this leads to:
- Improved oversight of wellbeing across services
- More informed strategic decision-making
- Stronger evidence for inspections and audits
- Greater confidence in the support being delivered
By combining a clear framework with consistent recording, organisations can move towards a more transparent and outcome-focused approach.
See SHANARRI in Practice
If you would like to see how local authorities are strengthening reporting and accountability through the SHANARRI wellbeing indicators, Geco Connect can help.
Book a demo to see how it works in practice.