Listen
Child protection services in Aberdeen
24/06/2009
Responding to the follow-up report by HMIE on children's services in Aberdeen, Minister for Children and Early Years, Adam Ingram, today welcomed the considerable progress made to improve child protection services in the area.
Mr Ingram said:
"Today's report shows that Aberdeen is making encouraging progress to address many of the areas of concern highlighted in the original inspection in November 2008. Since then, there have been significant changes to staffing in Aberdeen, a joint action plan is being implemented to improve child protection services among all the key agencies in the area and HMIE has found that progress is now being in each of the seven areas which it had highlighted for action.
"I particularly welcome the efforts which have been made to improve information-sharing and recording between agencies, in the joint planning of services to meet children's needs, towards ensuring safe alternative care arrangements are provided for children identified as living in situations which may put them at risk and in ensuring that the area's children and families social work service have sufficient staff.
"Aberdeen still has significant work do to continue to implement its action plan and we expect good progress to continue to be made. However, today's report shows how Scotland's child protection inspection regime - the most robust in the UK - is helping to drive up improvements in services for vulnerable children and that where council's follow the recommendations given, this can act as a real catalyst for change.
"I expect the HMIE report on Dundee to lead to similar substantial changes in child protection services in that area."