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HMIE Summary Report
26/11/2009
Children's Minister Adam Ingram today welcomed the publication of 'How well do we protect Scotland's children', HMIE's summary report on its first-round of multi-agency children's services inspections, stating that it provides the clearest and most comprehensive picture of how children's services are performing across Scotland.
The report, which studied inspections of all 32 local authorities carried out by HMIE during the past three years, shows that in most areas, child protection services are satisfactory or better, with many examples of good practice. It demonstrates that Scotland's robust child protection inspection regime is working well, with individual authorities that have previously received critical reports, such as Midlothian and Aberdeen, showing improvement.
However, some weaknesses are highlighted, which Ministers are already taking action to address through ongoing work to improve child protection provision throughout Scotland. In response to the national recommendations in the report, the Scottish Government is:
- Revising national child protection guidance, due to be issued for consultation next Spring, as well as action on risk assessment and £1 million to develop a Vulnerable Persons System to improve information sharing.
- Recruiting a National Child Protection Coordinator to support the work of Scotland's 30 Child Protection Committees (CPCs) by tackling common difficulties and problems identified by future HMIE inspections.
- Working with individual authorities which have received critical reports, to ensure that urgent action is being taken to improve services.
- Implementing the Getting it Right for Every Child approach, which will improve the engagement of professionals from different agencies around the child, including the involvement of health staff.
Today also sees the publication of a positive report on Orkney's child protection services, the first in the second round of inspections, which shows services are effective and have improved since the initial inspection.
Mr Ingram said: "This government is fully aware of its duty to keep our young people safe from harm and we will do everything we can to ensure safeguards across Scotland are as strong as they can be.
"That is why I welcome this report which provides us wth the clearest and most comprehensive picture of how children's services are performing across Scotland.
"We already have a rigorous inspection regime - the most robust in the UK - which allows any shortcomings to be identified early and action taken urgently. We now have a useful overview that shows how measures to protect our children are performing within Scotland's communities, allowing us to build on successes and take action to tackle failings.
"A review of guidance for child protection professionals is underway, with the next round of more targeted inspections - Orkney's second inspection report is published today - being carried out as work continues to drive up consistency across Scotland."
A three year child protection reform programme which substantially strengthened CPCs was carried out following the independent review of child protection services in Scotland in 2002, 'It's Everyone's Job to Make Sure I'm Alright'.
A wide-ranging review of guidance on child protection practices across Scotland is ongoing. A national working group is driving work forward with draft guidance scheduled to be issued for consultation in the spring of 2010.
A report into a Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) pathfinder project in Highland was published this week. It aims to improve outcomes for children and young people by providing a framework for services and agencies to help them deliver a coordinated approach which is appropriate, proportionate and timely.