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Child protection progress
12/01/2009
Children's Minister Adam Ingram will today be shown first hand how child protection measures in Aberdeen are being improved.
Mr Ingram - who sought assurances that urgent action was being taken to address shortcomings identified in an Aberdeen child protection report last year - will be in the city to find out for himself what is being done.
The Minister will meet agencies and front line staff involved in services to protect children and young people as well as visiting projects which support vulnerable children and families.
Mr Ingram said:
"We all have a duty to help keep children in Scotland safe and sound as they grow up.
"The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring robust safeguards are in place for young people at risk and, to help ensure these are maintained, I recently announced a national review of child protection guidance.
"Scotland's child protection services already undergo rigorous inspections so that any issues can be spotted quickly and addressed immediately.
"We saw this in action in relation to Aberdeen where a number of serious concerns were raised early on by inspectors, allowing swift and decisive action to be taken.
"These findings were deeply worrying and I have been clear from the start that the situation must improve.
"I have been in touch with agencies in Aberdeen since initial findings emerged in the summer to ensure that, with our support, these problems were being tackled as a matter of urgency.
"I have been reassured that considerable work is underway and in order to closely monitor how that is being taken forward I'm meeting with child protection agencies in the area so that we can work together to keep children in Aberdeen safe."
As well as being updated on Aberdeen's remedial action plan to address the recommendations in HMIE's report on child protection services, Mr Ingram will visit projects which help to find safe homes for vulnerable children and support families affected by substance misuse.
Mr Ingram will meet with the North East Scotland Child Protection Committee (NESCPC), including representatives from Aberdeen City Council, Grampian Police, the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA), NHS Grampian and VSA (Voluntary Services Aberdeen). The Minister will also meet with council leaders.
Mr Ingram made a statement to the Scottish Parliament on child protection services in Aberdeen in December 2008.
A review of guidance on child protection practices across Scotland was announced in December 2008.
A three year child protection reform programme which substantially strengthened Scotland's 30 Child Protection Committees was implemented following the independent review of child protection services in Scotland in 2002, "It's Everyone's Job to Make Sure I'm Alright".
The reform programme also led to a tough new multi-agency inspection regime, led by HMIE, which is systematically inspecting child protection services in every local authority area in Scotland. The inspection cycle is due to complete in March 2009, with the final report published in September 2009.