“It is only by standing together that we can ensure our sector is heard:” CCPS members gather at 2025 AGM

On Monday, CCPS hosted its AGM and members’ meeting in Edinburgh, bringing together representatives from our member organisations to reflect on the previous year and feed into our vision and priorities moving forward. 

As our Board Convenor Andrea Wood noted on the day, CCPS’s role in establishing a collective voice of not-for-profit social care providers in Scotland “has never felt more vital”. At an extremely uncertain and challenging point for members, “it is only by standing together that we can ensure our sector is heard.”  

The AGM and members’ meeting presented an important opportunity for members to come together to share their concerns and learning from the past year, while also giving them a chance to speak directly with the new Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing, Tom Arthur MSP. 

Andrea Wood opened the AGM by celebrating the resilience and strength of CCPS members during a challenging year for the sector, and reflecting on the busy year CCPS has experienced. 

Welcoming two new member organisations who have joined CCPS since our last AGM, she thanked members for their high levels of engagement throughout the year, which has enabled CCPS to speak with credibility and authority in our advocacy work.  

CCPS’s CEO Rachel Cackett echoed these remarks, celebrating the strength of our community, which has supported CCPS to engage in meaningful and impactful advocacy over the past year. 

Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, she opened up a discussion on CCPS’s renewed vision and priorities. She emphasised that investment will be foundational to our vision of a thriving social care system in Scotland, as will ensuring CCPS and its members are seen as strategic partners by policymakers.  

Given the importance of this partnership between members and decision-makers, the new Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing, Tom Arthur MSP, was invited to speak with members. 

The Minister emphasised his commitment to working closely with the sector as he embarks on his new role. He recognised that members are pushing both for increased investment in the sector as well as a seat at the table in decision-making, and said that he takes this very seriously. 

Members raised a number of significant points with the minister, including the need for policymakers to have a firm understanding of the benefits of not-for-profit social care, the importance of sector representatives having a seat at the table in decision-making, and providers being seen as key strategic partners by the government.  

The Minister said he recognised the vital work members are doing within a very challenging landscape, and that he is committed to keeping this dialogue open to ensure government and parliamentary priorities address the needs of the sector.