This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Child protection experts appointed
29/06/2003
A team of experts from health, social work, police and
education services has been appointed to work with the
Executive to drive forward its three-year programme to
improve the protection of Scotland's most vulnerable
children and young people.
The development of the Child Protection Reform Programme
and the involvement of professionals from a range of
agencies is part of the Executive's response to the child
protection review team's report -
It's everyone's job to make sure I'm alright.
During the next six months, the team of six, working
with colleagues in the Executive, will work on:
- developing a Children's Charter, building on
proposals being produced by Save the Children, setting
out what children should have the right to expect
- developing national standards for child protection
to be applied across all agencies, to encourage better
joined-up working and approaches which will deliver
better outcomes for children
- producing proposals to ensure that all agencies are
jointly involved in inspecting the provision of
services for vulnerable children to further break down
the barriers between professional groups, and provide
greater assurance that these improvements will create a
more child-centred system
- reviewing the role and remit of Child Protection
Committees, which have a child protection co-ordinating
role at local level, and how they might better inform
and drive forward reform
These improvements, with also link with work which is
already in hand to implement the Protection of Children
(Scotland) Act 2003 - the creation of a register of adults
deemed to be unsuitable to work with children.
Minister for Education and Young People Peter Peacock
said:
"Tragic cases such as that of Kennedy MacFarlane which
led to the audit and review of child protection services
last year, and now that of Danielle Reid, reinforce the
need for us all to play our part in protecting our
children.
"We have made clear in the new Partnership Agreement,
that the protection of children will continue to be a top
priority and we need to work together with agencies to
constantly improve and reform child protection services to
deliver better outcomes for vulnerable children.
"However, there can be no quick fix. If reform is to
really make a difference and be sustainable, we need to
build on the good work that is already being done, as well
as being ruthless in stripping out poor and ineffective
practices. That is why we have initiated a three-year
programme of sustained activity, from which we want to see,
better and earlier identification of children at risk;
better quality of direct child protection work, better
access to services and support, and enhanced early
intervention and support for families.
"We also want to create a stronger community role and a
sense of shared responsibility, and increased confidence in
the child protection systems.
"The new team of experts, who will be in place from
tomorrow, will play a central role in working with the
Executive and external agencies to develop and drive
forward this crucial programme. This will help prevent
further vulnerable children falling through the safety net,
ensure that the needs of children always come first - not
the needs of systems and bureaucracy, and that we transfer
the fear experienced by many children at risk, to those who
perpetrate abuse or neglect."
The National Delivery Action Team comprises:
Fiona McManus - Child Protection Adviser seconded to the
team from the Greater Glasgow Primary Care NHS Trust.
Martin Kettle - Area Service Manager seconded to the
team from Glasgow City Council
Ross Drummond - Fife Constabulary Chief Inspector.
Jennifer Stark - Pupil Support Manager seconded from
Education and Cultural Services in West Lothian
Dr Helen Hammond - a consultant paediatrician at St
John's Hospital, Livingston
Belinda Cook - a senior social worker from Aberdeen City
Council's Children Services