MINISTERIAL FOREWORD
The protection of Scotland's children - keeping them happy, healthy and safe from harm - is fundamental to the success of the Government's aspirations for children and young people. We cannot expect our children to flourish and become responsible citizens, successful learners, confident individuals and effective contributors to society if they do not have the best start in life.
Child protection depends on the knowledge, skills and confidence of those who work with children and families. Staff must be able to manage risk and deal with the complex and highly uncertain environments that face our most vulnerable children and families. Professionalism, commitment and courage are needed to address the most challenging of circumstances. Strong, clear and relevant guidance in this area is an essential support for the children's workforce.
Since the Scottish Office guidance, Protecting Children - A Shared Responsibility, was published in 1998, the child protection landscape in Scotland has developed considerably. New legislation, new areas of practice and new approaches have shaped activity at both national and local level. Online safety, child trafficking and the protection of children affected by parental alcohol and/or drug misuse are some of the specific issues that have become the focus of our attention in recent years. But one of the most fundamental developments has been the move towards children's services that put the interests of the child at the centre of every process and decision, building up from universal services: the Getting it right for every child programme has been instrumental in this.
The revised National Guidance on Child Protection reflects this changed and changing landscape. It also reflects the Scottish Government's distinctive and strong commitment to working in partnership with practitioners across the child protection sector to best support local practice at national level.
I am proud to say that this guidance is a product of that approach. It has been developed by practitioners, for practitioners. To that end I hope that, regardless of the nature of your contact with children and young people, this guidance is helpful in shaping your local practices and procedures and in setting a common understanding of the standard of service our children deserve.
This guidance will be the lynchpin of our work going forward, underpinning our early intervention approach to delivering children's services and crystallising a set of irrefutable principles for child protection practice that puts children's best interests first. It will help us consolidate the excellent work that already goes on across the country in responding to concerns when they are raised. And it will challenge us to think about how we can more effectively spot those children who fall under the radar and miss out on the early support and protection they need. Regardless of how your work impacts on children and families, it is everyone's job to make sure that our children have the best start in life. I hope that this guidance sets a framework within which we can fulfil this responsibility.
I commend this guidance to you.
Adam Ingram
Minister for Children and Early Years