procedures

The government's response to the Kent Report on Children's Safeguards Review

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.

Protecting children: the next steps to securing their safety - a policy position paper on the establishment of an index of adults unsuitable to work with children

The consultation paper Protecting Children: Securing Their Safety - A Pre-legislative Consultation Paper on Establishing an Index of Adults Unsuitable to Work with Children was published in July 2000. It set out the Scottish Executive’s intention to establish an Index of persons dismissed from employment (including as unpaid volunteers) with children in circumstances leading to the conclusion that they might pose a threat to children.

Vulnerable children: young runaways and children abused through prostitution

This consultation paper outlines why the needs of young runaways and children involved in sexual exploitation through prostitution are important and looks at the preventative work which is being taken forward to address the underlying issues which may increase a child’s vulnerability.

The provision of services to support children and young people is also discussed.

Report of the case management inquiry

This report outlines the findings of a case management inquiry into the way in which a young man was placed by the Adult Placement Service in a family where he then seriously abused two children. The inquiry considers events in the areas of: response to the need for an emergency placement; care planning; and the Social Services Directorate's policy and procedures. Failure of the Leaving Care Team to carry out a risk assessment or pass on information about previous incidents to the Adult Placement Service are highlighted. Recommendations are included.

National standards for Scotland's youth justice services

This report by the Improving the Effectiveness of the Youth Justice System Working Group describes the characteristics of effective local management of youth justice services and outlines a set of standards to improve delivery.

The group was asked to develop a strategic framework of national objectives and standards for Scotland’s Youth Justice services, to help achieve the national target of reducing the number of persistent offenders by 10% by 2006.

Inspection of child protection services : the Rikki Neave report

In April 1997 the Social Services Inspectorate undertook an inspection of the child protection services in Cambridgeshire's Social Services Department. This inspection took place at the request of the Parliamentary Under Secretary in the Department of Health following the non-accidental death of Rikki Neave, a child on Cambridgeshire's child protection register. The 1997 inspection identified serious deficiencies in the standard of child protection services in Cambridgeshire.

Protecting children: a shared responsibility - guidance for health professionals in Scotland (September 1999)

This document specifically aims to provide user-friendly information for all health professionals in Scotland. It will be valuable to those who may very rarely come into contact with an abused child or children and their families. It is also an important source of advice for staff who have had more experience in this area and highlights the need for child protection training to be made available for all staff.

Perth and Kinross Child Protection Committee Annual Report : 2005-2006 and Business Plan : 2006-2007

This is the second annual report of the Perth and Kinross Child Protection Committee (CPC) and it sets out the wide range of work which has been undertaken by partner agencies in the past year to evaluate, strengthen and develop services to protect children and young people in Perth and Kinross. Significant achievements include wide ranging campaigns and initiatives to raise awareness about child protection and what to do if you have concerns about the safety of a child.