Child Protection Improvement Programme report

1

We accept in full the recommendations set out in the report of the Child Protection Systems Review Group and will work with stakeholders to develop a plan to take forward the Review recommendations.

2

We will reconvene the Child Protection Systems Review Group in April 2018 in order to review progress on the recommendations

1

We will bring together the range of relevant policy areas across government to identify how policy agendas can be better aligned to tackle neglect. This collaborative approach will be reviewed as it develops to identify learning to inform wider work on early intervention and prevention and used as the basis for discussion with relevant partners on identifying sustainable approaches to preventing and combatting the impact of neglect.

2

The key findings of the research undertaken by the Centre for Child Wellbeing and Protection will be used to inform the neglect improvement programme.

3

The results of the CELCIS neglect improvement work in Dundee, Inverclyde, and Perth & Kinross will be evaluated following the completion of Phase 1 in March 2017, and if proven to be promising, the improvement work will be expanded to other test sites in 2017.

4

We will hold a formal public consultation in 2017 on section 12 of the Children and Young Person's (Scotland) Act 1937 to explore the limitations of the current offence and the scope of a reframed offence.

1

An annual cycle of reporting to Ministers on the progress of the National Action Plan to Prevent and Tackle Child Sexual Exploitation ( CSE) will be established, starting with the first report due in March 2017.

2

The newly developed indicators will be applied to measure the progress of the National Action Plan to Prevent and Tackle Child Sexual Exploitation.

3

The CSE data collection template will be tested and fully rolled out, to assist with understanding the scale in Scotland.

4

We will continue to work with the National CSE Group to implement the National Action Plan.

1

A working group will be formed to take forward the revision of existing age assessment guidance to reflect the presumption of age provided for in section 12 of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015.

2

Following the outcome of the UK National Referral mechanism pilots in summer 2017, there will be an undertaking to receive feedback from key stakeholders regarding the continued use of the National Referral Mechanism for children and young people in Scotland.

3

Research regarding routes into child trafficking in Scotland will be commissioned.

4

The statutory independent child trafficking guardianship role will be implemented.

1

We will publish an action plan on child internet safety by March 2017.

2

We will work with the UK Safer Internet Centre to deliver online safety briefing sessions across Scotland

3

We will continue to participate in the Executive Board of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) and explore with social media providers and industry how we can improve child internet safety in Scotland

1

The CHIP will oversee delivery of the work plan to implement the recommendations from the study on "The Role of the Solicitor in the Children's Hearing System".

2

The CHIP will consider whether the speed and quality of the process can be improved - especially for the youngest children - with an emphasis on timely processing of cases where grounds are sent for proof.

3

The CHIP will consider how to take forward relevant recommendations from the Child Protection Systems Review with a view to building a clear collective understanding of when child protection concerns can give rise to consideration of compulsory care measures.

4

The CHIP will continue influencing work regarding the treatment of 16 and 17 year old children within the care and justice system, to introduce practice and behavioural improvements, and will consider whether further legislative change is necessary.

1

The Care Inspectorate will chair a short life working group to develop a revised framework of inspections that focuses on the experiences and outcomes of the most vulnerable children.

2

In developing the revised framework, the group will consider all recommendations relevant to inspections from other work streams of the Child Protection Improvement Programme, in particular (but not confined to) the Systems Review, Data & Evidence and Leadership.

3

This group will consider how scrutiny and improvement work can best be provided for services for all children and families, including collaborating with other partners to develop and improve the use of self-evaluation tools.

4

This group will provide a report to Ministers by 31 May 2017, recommending the way forward for a revised inspection framework. This framework is to be in place by the time the current framework concludes in December 2017.

1

We will build on the 2016 Leadership Summit and Child Protection Frontline Practitioner events held in the first phase of CPIP. We will work collaboratively across the existing leadership and workforce development landscape to take forward actions from across the CPIP work streams.

2

We will establish a National Child Protection Leadership Group as recommended by the Child Protection Systems Review Group which will be chaired by the Minister for Childcare and Early Years.

3

We will work with the Leadership Group, once established, to develop a number of regional leadership events for all Chief Officers' Groups and Chairpersons of Child Protection Committees to network, share good practice and collectively horizon scan for new risks facing children and young people.

4

We will work with the bodies who can support practitioner engagement and workforce development to identify and build on shared opportunities for strengthening child protection practice.

1

We will expand analytical capacity to develop and deliver a Child Protection data improvement programme.

2

We will establish a Child Protection Data and Evidence Hub to develop a more co-ordinated strategic approach to sharing learning and to help inform local planning and service development as recommended by the Child Protection Systems Review Group.

1

We will articulate a national child protection policy including a National Child Abuse Prevention Plan, which creates strong and dynamic cross-government policy connections to keep children and young people safe. This will allow us to more easily identify particular issues and what may be done to support families better.

2

We will work with Children in Scotland to develop a process for providing confidential expert advice from the children's sector to support officials across Scottish Government in consulting on new policy, strategy or legislation; and the Directorate for Children and Families will take the lead in promoting and embedding this approach across Scottish Government.

3

We will work with Child Protection Committees (CPCs) to get a picture of current participation work with children and young people - with a view to collectively sharing good practice and learning.

4

We will work with children and young people with lived experience to develop a strategic approach to their involvement in child protection policy development.