9. THE SIGNIFICANT CASE REVIEW ( SCR) AND THE WIDER CONTEXT
111. There are a number of other processes that could be running in parallel with an SCR and this raises a number of issues including:
- the relationship of the SCR with other processes, such as criminal proceedings or SCRA reports;
- Securing co-operation from all agencies, including relevant voluntary sector interests in relation to the release and sharing of information;
- Minimising duplication; and
- Ensuring a sufficient degree of rigour, transparency and objectivity.
112. Depending on the case, there could be a number of processes which come into play which are driven by considerations wider than service failure or learning lessons across agencies. These can include a criminal investigation, report of death to Procurator Fiscal ( PF), a Fatal Accident Inquiry, and a Death of a Looked After Children Review. Further details of these processes are at Annex 1.
Interdependencies
113. There is a potentially complex set of activities which may be triggered by a significant case - most likely, the death of a child. It is important that local services do not interfere or contaminate that activity, especially in relation to evidence gathering where there is, or there is the potential for, criminal investigation - whether of staff involved in a case or a third party. The key requirement is that good local ongoing dialogue is maintained with the Procurator Fiscal and/or police to ascertain where they are in their considerations and agree what can be progressed in the SCR. Efforts should be made to minimise duplication and ensure, as far as is practicable, that the various processes are complementary albeit their purpose could be somewhat different. It would be expected that in the case of a significant case which does not involve a death, there is less likelihood of these inter-related processes taking place.
114. In Protecting Children and Young People: Child Protection Committees8, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service recognised the importance of child protection and encouraged the involvement of Procurators Fiscal with CPCs - especially in relation to investigations and proceedings on the death of a child. If not already the case, CPCs should seek to ensure they have a named contact in the Procurator Fiscal's office to be able to pursue such ongoing dialogue as is required to meet the objectives of each type of activity.
115. There will also be agency-specific work that is routinely undertaken, particularly on the death of a child, for example, when this occurs in hospital or is unexpected such as in the case of sudden unexpected deaths in infancy. It will be important that any SCR is co-ordinated to dovetail with such work to avoid duplication of effort and unnecessary further review.