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Keeping Scotland's children safe
04/12/2008
A wide-ranging review of guidance on child protection practices across Scotland - to help ensure stringent safeguards are maintained - was launched today.
The move comes as a cycle of robust inspections into all of Scotland's multi-agency Child Protection Committees, which have undergone a major three year reform programme, is about to be completed.
Children's Minister Adam Ingram said that, with this comprehensive programme beginning to draw to a close, the time was now right to undertake the review of guidance to child protection practitioners.
Mr Ingram, who made the announcement today during a Parliamentary statement on a report into child protection services in Aberdeen, said:
"There can be no greater responsibility than the protection of our young people and it's vital that we continue to ensure that the safeguards in place for those at risk are as robust as they can be.
"Scotland's 30 Child Protection Committees already undergo rigorous multi-agency inspections, allowing shortcomings to be identified early and action to be taken quickly.
"We saw this in action in relation to Aberdeen, where very worrying concerns were uncovered and remedial action has been underway there since the summer.
"The checks also allow us to learn from good practice across the country and successes in areas like West Lothian, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire - which have received very positive reports on their child protection practices - prove what can be achieved.
"However, the barbaric abuse suffered by Baby P in London, which has moved and horrified us all, reminds us why we must continue to ensure quick and effective support is put in place for all vulnerable children and that all agencies involved in providing that support work together to ensure those children get the protection they need and deserve.
"In Scotland, we have undergone a substantial child protection reform programme and are coming to the end of the first cycle of inspections, giving us the most comprehensive picture ever of how services are performing on the ground
"The time is therefore right for us to conduct a review of child protection guidance - drawing on the positives as well as areas that need work - to assess how we can further improve the protection of Scotland's children."
A review of the 1998 guidance 'Protecting Children: A Shared Responsibility' will be led by a national working group chaired by the Scottish Government and with representatives from Child Protection Committees (CPCs), police, health, social work, SCRA and the Crown Office. The group, which will convene in the New Year and report regularly to Ministers over 2009, will draw on evidence emerging from inspections to help embed good practice in the guidance.
A three year child protection reform programme which substantially strengthened the 30 CPCs was implemented following the independent review of child protection services in Scotland in 2002, "It's Everyone's Job to Make Sure I'm Alright".
The reform programme also led to a tough new multi-agency inspection regime, led by HMIE, which is systematically inspecting every CPC. The inspection cycle is due to complete in March 2009, with the final report published in September 2009.
The Minister for Children and Early Years Adam Ingram today made a statement to the Scottish Parliament on the report into child protection services in Aberdeen.
A Child Protection Committee is a multi-agency forum which oversees child protection arrangements in a local authority area. It normally includes representation from social work, police, health, education and voluntary organisations. Its functions include strategic planning of child protection services, continuous improvement, and public awareness.