child protection services

The Children's hearing system in Scotland 2002: training resource manual

In 1996 the Scottish Office commissioned a complete revision of the existing guidance manual for Children's Panel members in order to bring it up to date, in particular for the new legislation. The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 was implemented in April 1997 and the Human Rights Act 1998 has since been introduced. Experience of working with the new legislation has brought about best practice guidelines.

Children affected by substance misuse in the family: an assessment of the nature and prevalence in the Borders

In the Borders there are an estimated 1,306 children and young people affected by substance misuse within the family. The Borders Drug & Alcohol Action Team (DAAT) has, over recent years, become increasingly aware of concerns around the impact of parental drug and alcohol misuse on children and young people. Assessing this problem has been a very complex process, and due to the varying levels of awareness and activity between agencies, has been impossible to determine exact numbers of children and families affected in this way.

What resources can you access to help you support families?

Research on families involved with child protection services in the United Kingdom reveal that many the families all share the common experiences of living on a low income, suffering housing difficulties, and social isolation. The children and families experiencing these factors may often feel that they have few choices available to help them. This learning object explores the complex issues that often surround these children and families.

The child, the family and the GP: tensions and conflicts of interest in safeguarding children

The role of GPs in safeguarding children has long been seen as vital to inter-agency collaboration in child protection processes and to promoting early intervention in families. It has often been characterized as problematic to engage GPs and recognized that potential conflicts of interest may constrain their engagement.

The Children's Hearings (Legal Representation) (Scotland) Rules 2002

These Rules permit legal representatives to attend Children's Hearings in certain circumstances. They also specify when the Children's Hearing may consider the appointment of a legal representative, and the circumstances in which an appointment may be made.

They authorise the Principal Reporter to make copies of the relevant documentation available to legal representatives and also specifies groups of persons from whom a legal representative may be appointed.

Social Services Inspectorate audit of services to children in need in response to the practice recommendations of the Victoria Climbie inquiry

This report contains a framework of recommendations set out by the Social Services Inspectorate in response to the outcomes of the Public Inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie. This framework is to be used by councils with social services responsibilities to audit their position in relation to the practice recommendations of the Victoria Climbié Inquiry report. It provides performance criteria against each of the recommendations linked to statutory requirements and guidance.

Safeguarding children involved in prostitution: supplementary guidance to working together to safeguard children

This guidance is for police, health, social services, education and all other agencies and professionals that may work with children about whom there are concerns that they are involved in prostitution. It sets out an inter-agency approach, based on local protocols developed within the framework of Working Together to Safeguard Children (Department of Health et al, 1999; National Assembly for Wales, 2000), to address this type of abuse.