Common Core of Skills, Knowledge & Understanding and Values for the "Children's Workforce" in Scotland

Identification of the skills, knowledge & understanding and values that every worker should demonstrate if they work with children, young people and families in Scotland


Common Core of skills, knowledge and understanding and values

Essential Characteristics of those who work with children, young people and families in Scotland

UNCRC guiding principles

Non-discrimination

Best interests of the child

Right to life, survival & development

Respect the views of the child

As an employee or a volunteer you will:

Context A:

Relationships with children, young people and families

A1. Recognise that the needs and strengths of children, young people and families are unique and will be influenced by their environment, backgrounds and circumstances

A2. Understand your impact on children, young people and families and how they might perceive you. Adapt your tone, language and behaviour to suit the circumstances

A3. Help identify and work with the needs and strengths in parents, carers and their networks in the interests of children and young people for whom they care

A4. Ensure children, young people and families understand what information will be kept in confidence; and why some information from or about them may be shared

A5. Be aware of how children and young people develop, seek to understand vulnerability and promote resilience

A6. Understand appropriate child protection procedures and act accordingly

A7. Consider the needs and potential risks for each child & young person in the context of where they live, their relationships and their wider world

A8. Include children, young people and families as active participants, listening to them, offering choices

A9. Explain decisions and ensure children, young people and families fully understand them and their implications, especially if the final decision isn't what they hoped for

A10. Keep children, young people & families informed of progress

Context B:

Relationships between workers

B1. Be aware of who can help when provision for the needs or promotion of the strengths of children, young people or families is affected by their environment, backgrounds and circumstances

B2. Be aware of who can help when you cannot communicate effectively with children, young people or families for any reason

B3. Understand the extent of your own role and be aware of the roles of other workers

B4. Respect and value the contribution of other workers

B5. Know what information to share, when to share it and with whom

B6. Be aware of who can help parents or carers identify their own needs or strengths

B7. Know who to contact if you have a concern or wish to make a positive recommendation about a child, young person or family

B8. Contribute to assessing, planning for and managing risks in partnership with others

B9. Seek to support children, young people and families in partnership with them, their networks and other workers

B10. Recognise that timely, appropriate and proportionate action is appreciated by children, young people and families as well as other workers

Common Values of those who work with children, young people and families in Scotland

Common values and principles are at the heart of the Common Core and the Getting It Right For Every Child approach. These values and principles build from the Children's Charter and reflect legislation, standards, procedures and professional expertise. They bring meaning and relevance at a practice level to single agency, multi agency and inter agency working across the whole of children's services. Together with the Common Core essential characteristics, the values provide a common platform for working with children and young people which all workers can draw from.

  1. 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
  2. Keeping children and young people safe: emotional and physically safety is fundamental and is wider than child protection
  3. Putting the child at the centre: children and young people should have their views listened to and they should be involved in decisions
  4. 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
  5. Building on strengths and promoting resilience: using a child or young person's existing networks and support where possible
  6. Promoting opportunities and valuing diversity: children and young people should feel valued in all circumstances and practitioners should create opportunities to celebrate diversity
  7. Providing additional help should be appropriate, proportionate and timely: providing help as early as possible and considering short and long-term needs
  8. Supporting informed choice: supporting children, young people and families in understanding what help is possible and what their choices may be
  9. 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 in their family and what may not be helpful
  10. 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
  11. Promoting the same values across all working relationships: recognising respect, patience, honesty, reliability, resilience and integrity are qualities valued by children, young people, families and colleagues
  12. 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
  13. Co-ordinating help: recognising that children, young people and families need practitioners to work together, when appropriate, to provide the best possible help
  14. 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.

Contact

Email: David Purdie

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