This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
New guidelines for most vulnerable children
29/07/2003
New ways of offering greater protection and support for some of Scotland's most vulnerable children and young people were outlined today.
An expert group set up by the Executive has produced new guidelines aimed at improving the help, support and protection for those who run away from home or who are sexually exploited through prostitution.
The guidelines, which aim to raise the profile of these groups among senior managers of children's services and encourage a more joined up and consistent approach, state that:
- The welfare and safety of children and young people must be paramount when decisions are being made about them
- Preventative action should be taken to tackle the underlying causes of running away and child prostitution
- Agencies must work in partnership with children and young people, parents and carers and each other
- Advertising of helplines such as Childline should be increased in areas where young runaways are likely to congregate, such as railway and bus stations
- Child prostitution should be recognised as abuse and that the weight of the criminal justice system used against adults who sexually exploit children for prostitution
- Further research should be carried out to uncover the true extent of child prostitution.
Launching the guidelines at the Running Other Choices (ROC) project in Glasgow, Deputy Minister for Young People Euan Robson said:
"All children deserve the opportunity to grow up in a safe and caring environment and to be protected from harm. We all have a responsibility to make sure that happens.
"The guidelines being published today aim to offer better support and protection to two of the most vulnerable groups of children and young people - runaways and those exploited through prostitution.
"Child prostitution robs children - boys as well as girls - of their childhood. We know it goes on but all too often it happens behind closed doors - a hidden shame. We will, as a matter of priority, be undertaking research to uncover the true extent of the problem."
Sheila Ramsay, Head of Children's Services Operations at Barnardo's Scotland and a member of the expert group, said:
"The emphasis on the shared responsibility of all agencies towards these children and the necessity of effectively working together is vital. We particularly welcome the explicit acknowledgement that adults who exploit children through prostitution are child abusers and that children are not involved through choice."
Anne Houston, ChildLine Scotland Director and also a member of the group, said:
"This report highlights the fact that many children and young people run away from home for a number of reasons - mainly personal problems, family conflict, abuse or problems at school. These same problems come top of the list of issues that prompt children and young people to phone our helpline. We are particularly pleased to note the emphasis of the fact that it is not just children and young people in accommodation who choose to run away - but also children living in the family home."
Kelly Bayes, Head of Policy at Aberlour Childcare Trust, said:
"We welcome the guidelines and hope it will lead to all agencies working together to develop accessible, child focused and responsive supports and services to young runaways who, to date, have been an invisible but highly vulnerable group of children and young people."
A steering group made up of representatives from voluntary and statutory agencies was set up in January 2002 to look at ways of improving help and support for vulnerable children and young people who could be susceptible to running away or sexual exploitation through prostitution.
An interim report was published for consultation in December 2002 ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pages/news/2002/12/SEed166.aspx). The final report is published today, including guidelines and protocols on young runaways and sexual exploitation through prostitution, and is available on the publications section of the Scottish Executive website.
The guidelines will feed into the three year child protection reform programme which was announced in November 2002. As part of this, £500,000 is already being provided to enable Childline Scotland to open up a new call centre and increase by up to 60 per cent the number of children they are able to help. A copy of the news release can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pages/news/2002/11/SEED139a.aspx
Running Other Choices (ROC) is based in Glasgow and is run by Aberlour Child Care Trust. It offers confidential help to young people who are on the brink of running away or who have left home already.