Publication - Minutes

Child Protection Improvement Programme: external advisory group meeting, November 2016

Published: 10 November 2016
Directorate: Children and Families Directorate
Topic: Children and families
Date of meeting: 10 November 2016
Location: Victoria Quay, Edinburgh

Agenda, summary and associated documents from a meeting of the Child Protection Improvement Programme external advisory group.

Attendees and apologies

Donald Henderson (Chair), Scottish Government
Paul Carberry, Action for Children
Kirsten Hogg, Barnardos
Helen Happer, Care Inspectorate
Claire Burns, Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children
Simon Massey, Children in Scotland
Kathy Cameron, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
Lauren Bruce, COSLA
Councillor Stephanie Primrose, COSLA
Sean Byrne, Child Protection Lead Officers Group
Paul Miele, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS)
Mary Hoey, Education Scotland
Joanna Barrett, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)
ACC Hawkins, Police Scotland
Sarah McMillan, Scottish Association of Social Workers
Lesley Siewart, Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA)
Brigid Daniel, Stirling Centre for Child Wellbeing and Protection
Duncan Dunlop, Who Cares? Scotland
Alison Gordon, Inverclyde Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP)
Kay Steven, Scottish Women's Aid
George Fernie, Healthcare Improvement Scotland
Jane Scott, Stirling University
Wendy Mitchell, Lanarkshire NHS
Judith Ainsley, Scottish Government
Helen Cameron, Scottish Government
Philippa Brosnan, Scottish Government
Katherine Hudson, Scottish Government
Deborah Gallagher, Scottish Government
Sandra Aitken, Scottish Government
Katrina McDonald, Scottish Government
Rachael Wilson, Scottish Government
Jack Murray, Scottish Government
Belinda McEwan, Scottish Government

Items and actions

Agenda

2pm Welcome from the Chair – Donald Henderson
2.05pm Neglect – Brigid Daniel and Jane Scott
2.15pm Neglect – Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland (CELCIS)
2.25pm Section 12 presentation and discussion – Stephen Lea and Philippa Brosnan
3pm Information Sharing and Named Person – Bob Fraser
3.20pm Comfort break and coffee
3.30pm Internet safety presentation and discussion – Rachael Wilson
4pm Systems review update – Katherine Hudson
4.10pm CELCIS update session
4.30pm Child Protection Improvement Programme (CPIP) equality impact assessment – Philippa Brosnan
4.35pm Data and evidence update – Fiona McDiarmid
4.40pm Next steps – Donald Henderson

Summary

The second meeting of the Child Protection Improvement Programme’s external advisory group (EAG) was held at the Scottish Government offices at Victoria Quay in Leith on Tuesday 30 August. The agenda and other papers from the meeting can be found on this page. A brief rundown of the presentations is included below, with pdf versions also available on this page.

Donald Henderson (EAG Chair and Deputy Director, Care and Protection, Scottish Government) opened the meeting by welcoming the group and recognising members’ continuing contributions on the Child Protection Improvement Programme (CPIP) as we progress towards reporting to Ministers in December. There was a recognition that there is lots of work ahead but confirmed we are on track to deliver the first part of the Child Protection Improvement Programme.

CELCIS update on neglect

Claire Burns (CELCIS) updated the group on the partnership work they are carrying out on neglect and the selection criteria used to identify the areas with which to collaborate on this initiative. Jane Scott (Stirling University) spoke to the group providing information on the first steps of a collaborative project between the Centre for Child Welfare and Protection (CCWP) and CELCIS, 'Tackling Child Neglect in Scotland'. This included information on the data and literature review as well as work on the collation of existing toolkits in use around the area of neglect.

Review of Section 12

Philippa Brosnan (Child Protection Team Leader, Scottish Government) led a session on reviewing Section 12 of the 1937 Children & Young People (Scotland) Act 1937. Philippa gave the context of the existing legislation, issues around this and how it compares with other administrations.

Table discussions followed on the merits and potential issues associated with reviewing the legislation. A write up of these discussions, highlighting some of the main points raised, is available on this page.

Bob Fraser (GIRFEC Health Advisor) led a short session on Information Sharing in the Named Person provisions of the Children and Young People (Scotland) act 2014. This provided an initial introduction to the engagement process and discussion on how the issues the Supreme Court raised around information sharing can be addressed.

Child internet safety

Rachael Wilson (Child Protection team, Scottish Government) spoke to the group on the topic of child internet safety. Setting out the context of SNP’s manifesto commitment below, Rachael outlined the action the Scottish Government was taking towards this and asked the group for views on the internet safety draft logic model.

"We will refresh our internet safety action plan, linking it to our strategy on digital participation, so that appropriate frameworks of training, support and information are in place for professionals and families, including children and young people."

Table discussions on the draft logic model followed, a summary of the views expressed is available on this page.

System review group

Katherine Hudson provided a short update on the Child Protection System Review. The group has now met three times and has considered Child Protection committees (CPCs), the Child Protection Register and case conferences, and Initial and Significant Case Reviews. The discussions have been informed by evidence papers prepared by Dr Louise Hill at CELCIS, who is supporting the review. Members of the group had been asked to consult with their organisations and wider networks about the review’s work and there has been an excellent response from stakeholders including CPCs, lead officers, social workers, the third sector, the Royal College of Paediatrics, children’s reporters and more. Katherine set out the next steps for the review. The review group is meeting for two days on 21 and 22 November to consider the evidence and responses they have received and their previous discussions and develop recommendations. The group will then meet on 16 December to finalise their report and the report will go to Ministers before Christmas.

Child Protection Improvement Programme equality impact assessment

Philippa Brosnan introduced the Child Protection Improvement Programme’s draft equality impact assessment and invited feedback from members of the group.

Data and evidence update

Fiona McDiarmid (Scottish Government) gave an update on the data and evidence work, thanking EAG members who attended the two data and evidence workshops. This valuable contribution has provided key information which is being used to inform the review recommendations going forward.

Fiona has updated the Child Protection system map, national data landscape map and system theory of change on the back of the workshop discussions. The latest drafts of these can be seen on this page.

Work has now commenced on pulling together findings from the workshops, meetings and wider contacts and networks to draft a data and evidence review report with recommendations to go to the Minister in December.

Reporting to Ministers

Donald Henderson highlighted the next steps for the Child Protection Improvement Programme and the work being carried forward by the Child Protection Team, who will submit their report to Ministers by 23 December 2016. The report will include a section on the system review, as well as the other eight key areas of work the Child Protection Team are taking forward.

Closing remarks and next steps

The Child Protection Improvement Programme enters Stage Two after Christmas and a further meeting of the External Advisory Group will take place in the first quarter of 2017 to continue work on taking forward recommendations. Donald thanked everyone for their attendance and contributions throughout the day.