Introduction

The Scottish Government’s approach to protecting the public in case of emergency is built around the concept of resilience. This is defined as the ability at every relevant level to detect, prevent and, if necessary, to handle and recover from disruptive challenges. Recovery is a fundamental element of resilience.

Once the immediate safety and welfare of people affected by an emergency has been secured, their thoughts will turn towards returning their lives to a form of normality. The public, their elected representatives and the media expect local responders and the Government to take steps to minimise the harm caused by emergencies.

Promoting recovery should be a partnership between members of affected communities, the Resilience Partnership (RP) and the many agencies with a part to play. That partnership should be built upon tried and tested management structures and arrangements that can embrace change and remain relevant to the tasks in hand at all times following emergencies.

The guidance examines the nature of recovery, its place in the resilience process and its management. It will also explore some of the issues those managing recovery may encounter and how they can prepare for the task.

The guidance is targeted at senior managers acting at the strategic level, managers acting at the tactical level and the resilience practitioners/emergency planners who support them in their preparation. It aims to develop a shared understanding of multi-agency recovery arrangements across responding agencies.

Minor factual updates and accessibility improvements were made in 2026.