The Scottish Government

. . .

October 2007

The new Government's priorities have led us to review and refresh the national approach to
Getting it right for every child.

Ministers have confirmed that Getting it right for every child is a key priority for the Scottish
Government as it contributes to its strategic objectives. The Government is committed to
policies which help Scotland's children and young people fulfil their potential.

This email briefing gives a comprehensive overview and update on the programme. In future
updates will focus on the three programmes we are supporting to deliver Getting it right for
every child: culture change, systems change and practice change.

Getting it right for every child is a far-reaching programme that will only be achieved through
each sector involved in delivering services for children working together to get it right for
every child. By progressing this ambitious programme we aim to support, facilitate and
promote lasting improvements that will enable all children and young people to fulfil their
potential.

We are keen to keep in touch and know about other issues that are of interest to you.
The Getting it right for every child email address is:
gettingitrightforeverychild@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Thank you

Boyd McAdam
Head of Getting it right for every child team

Getting it right for every child is a national programme that is changing the way adults
and organisations think and act to help all children, young people and their families grow,
develop and reach their full potential. From the lessons learned so far, it is clear that
progress needs to take place on three fronts: on culture change, systems change and
practice change and that this progress needs to happen simultaneously in order that we
get it right for every child.

Since the Election we have confirmed Getting it right for every child as a key delivery vehicle
to support Ministers' focus on early years and early intervention. We have been working with
colleagues in the Scottish Government and in pathfinder areas to progress Getting it right for
every child.

Over the coming years, Getting it right for every child will support and facilitate practitioners
to remove obstacles that can block children from getting the best start in life and moving
successfully through their journey from birth to adulthood.

Children and young people are central to Getting it right for every child. The involvement
and contribution of children, young people and families is fundamental to the success of the
programme. Information about the programme was compiled by a young volunteer from
Project Scotland, working with Young Scot, and this is available on the Young Scot website.

Getting it right for every child is about all children - not just children 'in need', not just those
'looked after', and not just those 'at risk' or with the most acute or complex needs.

The Scottish Government will support, facilitate and promote change at local level while
leading on those areas that require a national solution.

The necessary alignment across Scotland to deliver a programme of this breadth and
magnitude requires a long term commitment and collaboration from everyone.

Children and those associated with them have traditionally been helped through a number of
different routes. Agencies over time have developed their own cultures, systems and practices.
The Getting it right for every child programme aims to remove obstacles which are rooted in
the differences in cultures, systems and practice which have emerged through single agency
thinking and delivery.

Over the last ten years there have been significant efforts to remove the things that get in the
way of delivering better outcomes for all children. Getting it right for every child brings this
progress into one programme with children and their needs at the centre of thinking and action.

Getting it right for every child both complements and is complemented by existing legislation,
policy and good practice. It applies both to universal services and specialist services. We
need to make sure that the programme is relevant and appropriate to all sectors, including social
work, health, education, police, voluntary sector, adult services and most importantly to children,
young people and families.

We are creating a Learning Community for practitioners and managers to take forward this
ambitious agenda and find solutions to the barriers that prevent us from getting it right for every
child. This resource will join together key individuals across all services for children and families
to create an on-line forum to allow practitioners to share experiences, materials and knowledge
to support the implementation of Getting it right for every child, bringing different professional
perspectives together to share learning.

This member only resource is being facilitated by the Scottish Government and will be in place
by December. We will be in touch shortly with further information and details on how to become
a member.

We will be in contact with Practitioner Advisors and Link People very shortly to renew our
involvement and map out the way forward, in particular around the child's plan target.

We are planning a series of Getting it right for every child roadshows. The aim is to bring
Getting it right for every child to local areas and create an opportunity for dialogue and
exchange. Further information will be issued in November, but we anticipate the events
taking place in January and February.

The team is currently updating the Getting it right for every child website on. Please visit
the site for more information.

On Wednesday 5 September, the First Minister announced details to Parliament of the
Scottish Government's legislative programme for the coming year. The Children's Services
(Scotland) Bill is not in this year's legislative programme.

The numerous responses to the draft Bill - over 200 - indicate broad levels of support for
the key principles contained in the Bill. We are very grateful for the considered and thoughtful
responses that highlight a number of common themes and issues. These suggest that more
work needs to be done on some of the complex issues which need to be addressed in order to
effect change across children's services. In addition further work in pathfinder areas and other
developmental work throughout Scotland still needs to be fed in to help determine how best to
improve any legislative changes.

Ministers are keen to legislate only where new laws are essential. A lot can be done under
current legislation to make improvements.

Highland

In Highland developments are taking place to simplify processes, develop practice tools and
protocols and break down professional barriers to helping children no matter how simple or
complex their needs. The pathfinder area in Inverness is now moving from its development
phase into implementation across the agencies and training for practitioners who will be lead
professionals will start later this month. Managers' training has already been delivered.

Many operational changes are now embedded in practice. For example police are now sharing
information with health and education where there are concerns about a child, and referrals to
the Children's Reporter are no longer routinely made for non offence referrals. Instead,
children's plans are being put in place and the decision to refer is collective. Early impact
analysis shows a 70% reduction in such referrals.

The approach to recording information, including the assessment that will contribute to the
Child's Plan, is being applied by public health workers, has been newly introduced into Social
Work, and will be tested shortly in Education. The process of single meetings is beginning to
supersede separate conferences relating to looked after children, child protection and
additional support needs processes.

The team, based in Inverness is updating its pathfinder website and a special section will
be built to share lessons learned and provide insights for other areas embarking on change.

Domestic Abuse pathfinders: Clydebank, Edinburgh, Falkirk and Dumfries

In focussing on the initial trigger of children and young people experiencing domestic abuse,
the teams are working across agencies and services to apply Getting it right for every child
principles in their own areas. Lessons learned will be shared via the Learning Community as
and when they are available. The National Domestic Abuse Delivery Group met last week and
approved the joint piloting of an initial Data Capture Tool including a Childs Concerns record
which looks both at the risk to the victim and concerns around the child. The version for
piloting will be circulated in the next 4 - 6 weeks.