child protection services

Provision of therapy for child witnesses prior to a criminal trial: practice guidance

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.

Framework for the assessment of children in need and their families

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.

The Protection of Children Act 1999 :a practical guide to the Act for all organisations working with children

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.

Scotland's children: the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 regulations and guidance - Volume 1: support and protection for children and their families

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.

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.

Learning together to safeguard children : developing a multi-agency systems approach for case reviews (SCIE guide 13)

Paper introducing an innovative multi-agency 'systems' model, "Learning together", for organisational learning. It is an introduction both to a way of thinking and its application in practice and sets out the actions required for a structured and systematic process of learning from practice via case reviews.

Integrated strategy for the early years

This paper focuses on the services provided to young children (from pre-birth to 5) and their families.

It sets out a framework which draws together existing policies from across the Scottish Executive in this area – whether that is promoting childcare, health visitor support, preschool education or broader support for parenting skills.

It seeks to promote greater coherence between these executive policies to give better support to joined-up delivery on the ground.

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.