Child Protection

This document is based on two resources: Working Together to Safeguard Children: a guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children; and the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families. Working Together sets out how all agencies and professionals should work together to safeguard and promote children’s welfare and the Assessment Framework outlines a framework for use by all those who work with children and families determining whether a child is in need under the Children Act 1989 and deciding how best to provide help.

This resource looks at the question of the impact of domestic violence on children and examines some of the research on intervention and what can be done to promote better outcomes. The review aims examines the definition of domestic violence and the gendered pattern of abuse; the experiences of children living with domestic violence and the overlap with other forms of abuse; the impact on children of living with domestic violence; the problems associated with post-separation violence; and policy implications and practice interventions.

This report is intended to offer a concise overview of the issues faced by families with a disabled child.

The Crown Prosecution Service, the Department of Health and the Home Office have worked together to produce this guidance. The guidance is issued as part of the Action For Justice programme by which the Home Office is coordinating the implementation of the various measures for witnesses recommended in Speaking Up For Justice.

This report sets out a framework for the assessment of children in need and their families involving cooperation from all agencies who have a role in protecting children in society.

The government's expectations of how this framework will be used are also laid out. The guidance has been produced primarily for the use of professionals and other staff who will be involved in undertaking assessments of children in need and their families under the Children Act 1989.

This Practical Guidance provides a breakdown of the statutory requirements, rights and duties of child care organisations set out by the Protection of Children Act 1999.

This Act is the first step towards the establishment of a framework of a coherent cross-sector scheme for identifying those people considered to be unsuitable to work with children through the Protection of Children Act List. The legislation is intended to ensure that when such people have been identified, they are prevented from gaining access to children through their work.

This is the first of 4 volumes of comprehensive guidance on the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. The Regulations, Directions and Guidance which are included in this and other volumes are designed to provide guidance on the implementation of Parts II, III and IV of the Act.

This includes promotion of child welfare; the planning of childrens' services; provision of accommodation and day care services; children and disability; protecting children and short-term refuge for children at risk of harm.

This resource summarises the key findings of a study into the impact drug problems have on the family and siblings. It highlights that the tendency for policy and practice to focus on the individual with the drug problem has eclipsed consideration of the severe and enduring impacts of problem drug use on many families. The full report that this summary is based on is also available in this repository.

This response to the Children’s Safeguards Review by Roger Kent sets out the Government’s proposals for improving the quality of care for children who are looked after away from home.

This includes the recruitment, selection and vetting of residential child care staff; training of residential care staff; their registration and inspection; the inter-relationship with education child protection; support for children in boarding schools; investigation and monitoring of children in prison, refuges and helping young abusers.

In this report plans are set out for government investment in Scotland over the three year period 2003-2006. Proposals for public spending are made in Justice, Education, Health, Social Justice, Transport, Environment and Administration.