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7. SIGNIFICANT CASE REVIEW ( SCR): COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY
85. The Initial Case Review (Section 3) is an internal document. The SCR Report, however, is a document intended for shared learning, and hence requires a communications strategy. The first responsibility of the CPC is to report to the Chief Officers Group. But the CPC has wider responsibilities and must consider the wider reporting requirements.
86. It is important to be clear who needs to be aware of the review, what information they need, and when and how this will be provided. Section 7 is provided to help work through this process. Each CPC should agree with local agencies who the contact points should be and their role in the process, i.e. whether it is communication for information or decision-making.
87. Users of this guidance document should note that the communications guidance provided in this section is elementary and agencies should prepare their own press and legal guidance for each particular SCR circumstance.
Who Needs to be Aware of the SCR Report?
88. The CPC should seek to inform all those who will input and who have a legitimate interest in the SCR at each stage of the process. As each significant case will be different, the names of those with an interest might vary. Throughout the process, consideration should be given as to whether there is anyone else who should be informed, or the extent of the information offered to different interests in the SCR. The distribution list should be proportionate to the individual case.
89. Those with responsibility for local service delivery and review probably will include:
- The local Child Protection Committee;
- Chief Officers: Chief Executive of Local Authority/Chief Executive of Health Board/ Chief Constable;
- Director of Social Work/Chief Social Work Officer/Senior Managers in the Police, Education and Health Service;
- Staff involved in the review;
- Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service;
- Children's Reporter/Scottish Children's Reporter Administration ( SCRA);
- Inspectorates - HM Inspectorate of Education Services for Children Unit, Social Work Inspection Agency, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, Care Commission; and
- Voluntary organisations and independent providers, where they are involved in the case.
90. Those with wider interests in the SCR report could include:
- Family/Carers and/or significant adults of child involved;
- Local Councillors/Health Board Chairs/Chairs of Police Authorities;
- Local Authority, Health Board and Police press officers;
- Scottish Executive;
- Other Child Protection Committees;
- Professional representative bodies;
- Legal representatives; and
- Unions.
91. Other key interests are likely to be:
- The general public;
- Elected members, e.g. MSPs, MPs and Councillors; and
- The media.
When Will Information Become Available?
92. The CPC will advise relevant parties of the outcome of all Initial Case Reviews on completion. A template is provided in Annex 3.
93. In some cases information may already be widely known because of the nature of the case (e.g. where the press have released information before the review process has been commenced/completed).
94. On completion of the SCR the information distribution list should include all of the main stakeholders identified plus any other organisation/people who may have become involved with the review (see paras 89-92). In addition, it is important that those to be involved in the review process are briefed at the right time and have an understanding of the process. This is covered in Section 6 under 'Managing the Process' (para 69).
Media Handling
95. Most agencies will have media liaison/spokespeople for the agency and any protocols/handling issues should be developed in conjunction with those arrangements.
96. The media can help promote more effective prevention and intervention to protect children by raising public awareness of the circumstances that can occur which contribute to harm and what members of the community can do to mitigate these risks.
97. In responding to media enquiries, CPCs must have regard to wider interests over which they have no direct control. You should anticipate dealing with press enquiries and refer this to your press team.
98. It is important to add an element of calm and focus and not to add to any sense of alarm or confusion.
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