Scottish Government

People who work across organisational boundaries may find it useful to establish a common set of values and principles. These are reflected in legislation, standards, procedures, and professional expertise - they're for everyone with a part to play in promoting the well-being of children and young people:

Promoting the well-being of individual children and young people

This is based on understanding how children and young people develop in their families and communities and addressing their needs at the earliest possible time

Keeping children and young people safe

Emotional and physical safety is fundamental and is wider than child protection

Putting the child at the centre

Children and young people should have their views listened to and they should be involved in decisions that affect them

Taking a whole child approach

Recognising that what is going on in one part of a child or young person's life can affect many other areas of his or her life

Building on strengths and promoting resilience

Using a child or young person's existing networks and support where possible

Promoting opportunities and valuing diversity

Children and young people should feel valued in all circumstances and practitioners should create opportunities to celebrate diversity

Providing additional help that is appropriate, proportionate and timely

Providing help as early as possible and considering short and long-term needs

Supporting informed choice

Supporting children, young people and families in understanding what help is possible and what their choices may be

Working in partnership with families

Supporting, wherever possible, those who know the child or young person well, know what they need, what works well for them and what may not be helpful

Respecting confidentiality and sharing information

Seeking agreement to share information that is relevant and proportionate while safeguarding children and young people's right to confidentiality

Promoting the same values across all working relationships

Recognising respect, patience, honesty, reliability, resilience and integrity are qualities valued by children, young people, their families and colleagues

Making the most of bringing together each worker's expertise

Respecting the contribution of others and co-operating with them, recognising that sharing responsibility does not mean acting beyond a worker's competence or responsibilities

Co-ordinating help

Recognising that children, young people and their families need practitioners to work together, when appropriate, to provide the best possible help

Building a competent workforce to promote children and young people's well-being

Committed to continuing individual learning and development and improvement of inter-professional practice.

The Well-being Indicators can be used to structure the recording of information about a child or young person, under whichever headings are appropriate, to record their progress in universal services.

To fully assess a child's circumstances when a concern has been identified, the Getting it right approach uses a tool called the national practice model. This combines the well-being wheel with a 'my world triangle' and these, together with the 'resilience' matrix, allow practitioners to understand a child or young person's 'whole world'.

The 'my world triangle' encourages practitioners to consider the child or young person's needs and risks as well as the positive features in their lives. Strengths and pressures are considered equally.

The resilience matrix allows practitioners to analyse more complex information they have gathered. It allows them to weigh up the balance between vulnerability and resilience, and adversity and protective factors.

• A guide to implementing Getting it right for every child