1998 CHILD PROTECTION GUIDANCE REVIEW WORKPLAN

Questions / Task / Workstream / Leads / Timescale / Source Document (s) / Status / Outcome
What are the key principles we wish to enshrine in the way different agencies should work together, exchange information and manage risks, in order to protect and nurture children?
(a, t) / Produce a paper outlining key principles and relationship with GIRFEC / All / G Buchanan / 25th August / The Early Years Framework
GIRFEC
Framework for Standards
Children’s Charter
Shared Responsibility / Complete / Paper will set the context of re-write of 98 guidance and embed cp within GIRFEC
What are the key responsibilities that all agencies, including those without a specific children’s role, share and what are the specific responsibilities of different agencies for protecting and nurturing children?
(d, x) / Produce a paper on key shared responsibilities and to whom the guidance applies / Main, 2 / G Buchanan / 25th August / GIRFEC
Framework for Standards
Shared Responsibility / Complete / Paper will identify key responsibilities and target ‘audience’
Scoping paper on framework for revised guidance / all / G Buchanan / 25th August / UK Policies
Research by Sharon Vincent / Complete / The broad content of the final product to be agreed
What standards do we wish to put in place to ensure that children and families can expect consistent standards of service, regardless of which area of the country they are in?
(w) / Produce a paper that ties in with key principles of standards for consistency of intervention / 2 / G Buchanan / Framework for Standards
HMIE Quality indicators / Work to commence once comments received on principles paper / Clear robust standards for child protection activity across services
Questions / Task / Work stream / Leads / Timescale / Source Document (s) / Status / Outcome
What role can SCCPN and GIRFEC learning communities play in strengthening our approach to protecting and nurturing children?
(z) / To explore role of SCCPN and GIRFEC learning communities / 2 / Jane Scott
Helen Hunter / 1Sept / Jane to lead on paper and to include links with MARS / Exploratory paper to identify shred processes, dissemination of learning, etc
How do we ensure that members of CPCs are able to act effectively as the representative of their profession in their area?
(aa) / To consider the relevance of the national guidance on CPCs, particularly in light of Inspections and other planning forums / 2 / Ross Drummond
Astrid Telfer
Gillian Nicol / 1Sept / National Guidance on CPCs
Adult Protection Committees Guidance
HMIe Inspection reports / Complete / Exploratory paper to consider any required additional guidance for CPCs in terms of functionality, connections, membership etc
How do we ensure effective links between work to ensure the safety of children and wider planning processes within and across local authorities, such as SOAs and Community Planning? (bb) / To consider existing planning forums and identify what links are required/exist / 2 / Tim Huntingford
Susan Bell / 1 Sept / Concordat between Scottish Govt and Local Authorities / Assigned / Exploratory paper on local authority and cross –authority planning forums
How do we ensure that children are protected and nurtured in circumstances when their families may not wish to cooperate with child protection and other professionals? (dd) / To consider current practice issues and guidance on working with non-engaging families and issues identified from SCRs / 2 / Chris Robinson
Rena McCarry
Fiona Swift
Bill Alexander / 1 Oct / SCR Reports/
Summaries
Local guidelines / Assigned / Exploratory paper identifying key issues from local protocols and guidance
Questions / Task / Work stream / Leads / Timescale / Source Document (s) / Status / Outcome
How do we ensure a consistent approach across different areas in their handling of the registration of children in need of protection? (ee) / To consider registration criteria used by local authorities, as well as de-registration and transfer case conference processes / 2 / Ross Drummond
Astrid Telfer
Gillian Nicol / 1 Sept / Guidance note by CPC Lead Officers
Local CPC guidelines / Complete / Exploratory paper mapping criteria for all types of registration
What should happen at the early stages of an investigation? (ff) / To explore current practices/policies on early stages of investigation and identify issues within HMIe reports. Also to consider links with GIRFEC processes / 2 / Averil Duncan
Fiona Miller
Alison Penman
Fil Capaldi
Andrew Keir / 1 Sept / CPC local guidelines
HMIe reports
GIRFEC / Tasks agreed and grp to meet in Glasgow / Exploratory paper on early stages of cp investigation; indentifying common practices as well as differences
How do we ensure that parents and children are fully involved in decisions about how we protect and nurture children and deliver appropriate services, and that there is strong advocacy for the needs and rights of children? (gg) / To look at existing key processes within cp and indentify ways of improving engagement with children and families / 1 & 2 / Helen Hunter
Brian Lister
Isobel Burns
Anne Salter / 1 Sept / Shared Responsibility
CPC local guidelines
HMIe reports
GIRFEC
Children’s Charter / assigned / Exploratory paper on key cp processes and how we might improve engagement with children and families
Questions / Task / Work stream / Leads / Timescale / Source Document (s) / Status / Outcome
How do we ensure that children who have suffered abuse are properly protected and supported? (y) / To identify key post registration processes, including core groups and child protection plans / 2 / Jo Scanlon
Chris Robinson
Gillian Buchanan / Local cpc guidelines / Complete / Exploratory paper on meeting children’s needs in the longer term
To look at links with GIRFEC / 2 / “ / GIRFEC / “
To identify issues from HMIe inspections / 2 / “ / HMIe reports / “
To explore de-registration processes with LAC, LAAC, GIRFEC, YP leaving care etc / 2 / “ / “
Questions / Task / Work stream / Leads / Timescale / Source Document (s) / Status / Outcome
What are the key principles we wish to enshrine in the way different agencies should work together, exchange information and manage risks, in order to protect and nurture children?
(a, t) / Produce a paper outlining key principles and relationship with GIRFEC / All / G Buchanan / 25th August / Early Years Framework
GIRFEC
Framework for Standards
Children’s Charter & Standards / 1st Draft complete / Paper will set the context of re-write of 98 guidance and embed cp within GIRFEC
What principles and approach should be adopted to ensure that risks to the safety of children are quickly and accurately identified and quantified?(b) / Produce a paper that will outline principles of good risk assessment that link with GIRFEC / Main Group
& 1 / G Buchanan
Moira McKinnon / 25th August / GIRFEC,
Local risk assessment tools/guides,
Current research / Complete / Paper will set out the principles of risk assessment and roles of services
What are the specific principles that should be followed to ensure the appropriate exchange of information to support work to protect children?(c) / To identify principles of good information sharing considering lessons from HMIe inspections, SCRS, and local policies, as well as processes around GIRFEC / Main Group
& 1 / G Buchanan
(to discuss with Jane Scott / 25th August / CPC local guidelines
HMIe reports
GIRFEC / Early draft to go to Work stream 1 for consideration / Paper will set out the principles of information sharing within a child protection context
How do we protect individuals’ rights to confidentiality and to know how their personal information is being used, while sharing information quickly and effectively between agencies?(e) / Links with above / Main Group
& 1 / G Buchanan
(to discuss with Jane Scott / 25th August / CPC local guidelines
HMIe reports
GIRFEC / Early draft to go to Work stream 1 for consideration
Questions / Task / Work stream / Leads / Timescale / Source Document (s) / Status / Outcome
What principles and approaches should we adopt to ensure that information is recorded consistently across different areas, to ensure data can be gathered, analysed and shared effectively to support our work to protect children? (f) / To consider lessons from HMIe Inspections and SCRs and within the context of GIRFEC and to
also include use of management info / 1 / G Buchanan / 25th August / CPC local guidelines
HMIe reports
GIRFEC / Early draft to go to Work stream 1 for consideration / Exploratory paper outlining key principles around recording, storing and retrieval of cp information
What approach should we adopt to address and manage the risks posed by sexually problematic behaviour amongst vulnerable young people?
(g) / To consider current local policies as well as current research on sexually problematic behaviour amongst young people / 1 / Lesley Watson
Chris Johnston
Christine McCarlie / 1st Sept / assigned / Paper outlining key principles of best practice around working with young people in this area
What principles and approaches should we adopt to ensure that records are stored and retained in such a way as to support our work to protect and nurture children? (i) / Links with (f)
To consider lessons from HMIe Inspections and SCRs within context of GIRFEC / 1 / G Buchanan
(to discuss with Jane Scott) / 25th August / HMIe reports
GIRFEC
SCRs / Early draft to go to Work stream 1 for consideration / Exploratory paper outlining key principles around recording, storing and retrieval of cp information
Questions / Task / Work stream / Leads / Timescale / Source Document (s) / Status / Outcome
What should our approach be to identifying and protecting children who have been trafficked or are at risk of trafficking?
(k) / To consider issues around trafficking of children and responses of services / 1 / Moira McKinnon
Chris Johnston / 1 Sept / Complete / Exploratory paper on child trafficking
What should our approach be to mitigating the risks to children inherent in their use of the internet and other information technologies and forms of communication?
(l) / To consider issues around internet and information technology in the context of cp and possible responses / 1 / Fil Capaldi
West Of Scotland Rep, Educ rep and Comm Safety to be identified / 1 Sept / Byron review and Action Plan / To be assigned / Exploratory paper on child protection issues and information technology
What principles and approach should we adopt to identify and protect missing children, particularly those believed to be moving between different areas? (To include young runaways)
(m) / To explore current issues around missing children within a national context and looking at current single agency responses / 1 / Sandy Young
Andrew Keir
(To discuss with Bill Eadie) / 1 Sept / Children Missing From Education
Local CPC guidelines / Assigned
What should our approach be to identifying, assessing and managing the risks faced by children living in an environment where there is domestic abuse?
(n) / To explore current issues around domestic abuse + impact on children as well as risk issues + responses of services, (incl adult services / 1 / Anne Salter
Saffa Baxter
Kenneth Ritchie
Pat Scraggie / 1 Sept / Assigned / Exploratory paper on domestic abuse and current best practice
Questions / Task / Work stream / Leads / Timescale / Source Document (s) / Status / Outcome
What should our approach be to identifying, assessing and managing the risks faced by children affected by mental health problems?
(o) / To explore current issues around mental health and the impact on children as well as assessment of risk and responses of services, including adult services / 1 / Christina Naismith
Pamela Currie
Saffa Baxter / 1 Oct / Assigned / Exploratory paper on mental health and links with child protection, with particular reference to adult services
What should our approach be to identifying, assessing and managing the risks faced by children affected by disability / To explore current issues around cp and disability / 1 / Moyra Hawthorn
Sandy Young / 1 Sept / Assigned / Exploratory paper on disability and links with child protection
How do we ensure that we manage the risks to children who live with drug and/or alcohol misusing parents, bearing in mind the protocols already established in ‘Getting Our Priorities Right’?
(p) / To explore current issues around drug mis-use and the impact on children as well as responses of services, including adult services / 1 / Sheila Foggon
Saffa Baxter
Angela McTeir
Christine Laverty
Anne Whittaker / 1 Oct / The Road To Recovery
GOPR
Hidden Harm
Local CPC guidelines / Assigned / Exploratory paper on what needs to be addressed in revised guidance in relation to issues around drugs and alcoholmis-use
Questions / Task / Work stream / Leads / Timescale / Source Document (s) / Status / Outcome
How do we ensure that we support and protect vulnerable adults whose circumstances and behaviours may have an impact on the safety of children?
(q) / Links with To explore the links with vulnerable adult services and the crossovers with child protection / 1 / Gill Smee
Sara Lovelock (tbc) / 1 Oct / National and local guidance on Vulnerable Adults Protection / Assigned / Exploratory paper on vulnerable adults and the crossover with child protection
How do we ensure that parents and children are fully involved in decisions about how we protect and nurture children and deliver appropriate services, and that there is strong advocacy for the needs and rights of children?
(s) / Links with (gg) on workstream 2
To look at existing key processes within cp and indentify ways of improving engagement with children and families / 1 & 2 / Helen Hunter
Brian Lister
Isobel Burns
Anne Salter / 1 Sept / Shared Responsibility
CPC local guidelines
HMIe reports
GIRFEC
Children’s Charter / Assigned / Exploratory paper on key cp processes and how we might improve engagement with children and families
How do we consider the risks to vulnerable young people and how agencies respond to these risks
(new) / To consider existing protocols around vulnerable young people, which should include sexual exploitation / 1 / Jillian Russell / 1st Sept / Vulnerable YP’s protocols,
National guidance / Assigned / Exploratory paper on multi agency issues on working with vulnerable young people and specific risk behaviours
What lessons have we learned from the HMIE-led joint inspections, Significant Case Reviews and national inquiries conducted since 1998, that we wish to apply for the future? / To produce a synopsis of key learning from SCRs and compile a list of resources and source material / All / G Buchanan
Kevin Mitchell
Chris Robinson / 1 August / SCRs / Paper which highlights key themes from SCRs and highlights where those areas will be addressed in guidance
Questions / Task / Work stream / Leads / Timescale / Source Document (s) / Status / Outcome
What impact does the revised Children’s Hearings System have on the way we deliver child protection services? / To identify any key changes within suggested revision for Children’s Hearing system / All / Brian Lister
Kenneth Ritchie
Jo Scanlon / 29 October / Children’s Hearing Reform Bill / Assigned / Exploratory paper on issues arsing from current Children’s Hearing Reform Bill

For Future Consideration

Questions / Task / Work stream / Leads / Timescale / Source Document (s) / Status / Outcome
How should we ensure that our services consistently protect and nurture vulnerable children as they move between different contexts and enter adolescence and adulthood, potentially becoming vulnerable adults? / Links in with (g) and (v) but also ties in with key transition points in children’s’ lives and how services need to link
How do we ensure that the different professions working together to protect children have a shared understanding of particular challenges and responses in use, today and in future? (u) / Relates to work on (d, x) in terms of who is targeted for the guidance and how guidance is disseminated / 1 & 2 / Gillian Buchanan / Paper produced under (d, x) / Work will commence following completion of tasks on (d, x) / All ‘sections’ of guidance should be clearly signposted for service applicability and relevance
How do we ensure seamless continuity of services as children move between different situations and call on different services?
(v) / Relates to work on (d, x) in terms of who is targeted for the guidance and how guidance is disseminated / 1 & 2 / Gillian Buchanan / Paper produced under (d, x) / Work will commence following completion of tasks on (d, x) / All ‘sections’ of revised guidance should clearly identify transitional points and crossovers between services and required processes
What principles and approaches need to be put in place to ensure effective and consistent handling of prosecutions of alleged perpetrators?
(cc) / Needs further discussion to consider within the scope of revised guidance / 2 / 13 July
Questions / Task / Work stream / Leads / Timescale / Source Document (s) / Status / Outcome
How do we ensure effective links between child protection services and local and national systems created to monitor, support and manage any adults in receipt of services whose behaviour might present risks to children?
(hh) / Links with (j) and (r) on workstream 1
Needs further discussion to consider
How do we ensure that we are able to identify how the risks facing children change over time and respond accordingly?
(h) / To highlight issues around evolving nature of assessment and risk management from SCRs, HMIE, GIRFEC etc / G Buchanan / 1 Sept / HMIe reports
GIRFEC
SCRs / Links with general principles around risk (b) and (y) on Workstream 1 / To establish clear guidance on risk management and ongoing assessment in line with GIRFEC
How do we ensure that children exposed to ongoing risks but not in immediate danger are effectively identified and managed to ensure their continuing safety?
(j) / Links with the work being done on relationship between child protection and GIRFEC / 1 & 2 / Paper produced under (d, x) / Links with (hh) on workstream 2
To be considered in context of work on principles of CP GIRFEC
How do we ensure that we support and assess any adults in receipt of services whose behaviour might present risks to children?
(r) / Links with (hh) on workstream 2 / 1 / To be defined following first phase

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