Former chief social work adviser for Scotland

Born: January 31 1931;

Died: December 17 2016

DR David Colvin, who has died aged 85, was a major figure throughout the Scottish social and care system and was appointed chief social work adviser for Scotland in 1991. He was instrumental in the implementation of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 and was in the forefront of modernising the profession, becoming senior adviser of the Social Work Services Group and from 1993 the head of the British Association of Social Workers of Scotland.

He was born in Glasgow and attended Whitehall School in Dennistoun and Glasgow University. After further studies at Edinburgh University, he worked as a probation officer in Glasgow from 1955 to 1960 and then held posts as a psychiatric social worker and with the Prison Service before joining the Family Service Unit in Paisley in 1965.

His work extended throughout Scotland – notably in such high-profile projects as the Snowdrop Campaign on the ownership of handguns after the Dunblane shooting. He also brought his experience and understanding of community life to organisations such as NCH Action for Children and the Scottish Disability Foundation. He was also a pioneering chairman of SACRO, the community justice organisation, from 1997-2002, St Columba’s Hospice, from 1998 to 2003, and the Church of Scotland’s Crossroads scheme which helps the disabled at the Eric Liddell Centre in Edinburgh.

Dr Colvin was also influential in developing and establishing the Social Work Research Centre at the University of Stirling which reformed the quality of research throughout the profession. Appropriately, in 1998, he was awarded an honorary doctorate at the university.

From his youth Dr Colvin showed a keen interest in the arts and throughout his life had a considerable influence on many aspects of the arts in Scotland. In 1991, when he was awarded the CBE for his work in the social services the citation also mentioned his contribution to the arts. Dr Colvin was chairman of the Exhibiting Societies of Scottish Artists who exhibit the work of young artists from the principal art colleges and those of more established Scottish painters. He listed his recreations as, mountaineering and the promotion of the visual arts.

In its tribute, BASW said of Dr Colvin: “All of his work was permeated by a forceful but gentle wisdom guiding us in our policy development as well as in matters of governance. Such a huge contribution was made from a deep commitment to social work but always with a twinkle in his eye and an indication of the engaging person that those who knew him enjoyed and valued so much.”

David Niven worked and knew Mr Colvin for over 25 years and told The Herald: “David was hugely influential. He worked closely with six Secretary of States and brought much incisive and clear thinking to the services in Scotland. What David said was important and incorporated the very best of new thinking – notably in action on child exploitation. We worked closely at BASW over the Action Against Child Exploitation.”

Ruth Stark, president of the International Federation of Social Workers, has written fondly of working with Dr Colvin.

“The Social Work Scotland Act set the scene not only in legislating the most advanced social work law in the world it also introduced the most progressive children’s hearings system," she said. "All of this was designed in the 1960s and implemented in the 1970s and the way that David oversaw this implementation in the next 20 years from the civil service was to make sure that all players had a say in reporting and developing the services.”

Dr Colvin is survived by his wife Elma and their two sons and three daughters one of whom, Iona, is director of health and social care in North Ayrshire.

ALASDAIR STEVEN

ALASDAIR STEVEN