Social services departments face fundamental IT strategy problems prompted by the separation of systems for children and adults.

Confusion in the market is causing problems for local authorities and suppliers, who must compete for smaller contracts. There is uncertainty about the future of social services IT, said Colin Gunner, a consultant at public sector body Socitm.

“The market is more confused now than it ever was,” he said. “The supplier situation is more competitive. There are more of them vying for the same amount of business.”

The changes started in 2004, when childrens’ and adults’ services split. Since then the Integrated Children’s System (ICS) offered a basis for children’s organisations to run dedicated systems.

“It isn’t actually clear what’s going to happen in social services IT,” said Gunner. “In most authorities there is no five-year plan, but there is a lot more intellectual thought needed and it’s needed now or it will get worse.”

David Grigsby, business development director at supplier Liquidlogic, said: “The ICS requirements have shaken up the market, resulting in authorities re-evaluating their systems.

“Adult services has a new agenda, in many respects more radical than childrens’ services, and we are now seeing the same process of IT evaluation and renewal.”