National guidance for child protection 2021: consultation report

Next Steps

The final Guidance will be published on the Scottish Government website in summer 2021. To ensure that the Guidance is accessible, useable, and can be updated, it will be published as HTML, as a PDF, and as a PageFlip document which will be searchable and mobile friendly. In addition, as a supporting resource, eighteen practice insights will also be published. These are reflections on practice which have been written by practitioners, service managers and academics. They provide additional detail and links to research on particular topics, and integrate either directly or indirectly the experience of children and families. The practice insights will be adapted and improved in response to evolving practice.

Published alongside the Guidance will be five impact assessments: Children's Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment; Equality Impact Assessment; Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment; Islands Communities Impact Assessment; Data Protection Impact Assessment.^[1] These are initial assessments of the impact of the revised guidance informed by extensive engagement with over 150 public and third sector organisations and Scottish Government policy areas. The Scottish Government will continue to review and update these impact assessments where required during the implementation process. Any future iterations will reflect an increased understanding of the impact as the amount of data and research available continues to grow.

The consultation responses are also being used to inform the next, crucial stage of implementation. The National Guidance underpins local multi-agency child protection procedures, guidance and training which will require consideration as result of the revision. Local Child Protection Committees, supported by Child Protection Committees Scotland, the Scottish Government and a range of other partners will lead this work. The aim is that every child in Scotland should receive a consistent experience while allowing a degree of local variability in how those standards are implemented. Planning for adaptation and implementation will sit within the wider context of UNCRC, The Promise, GIRFEC and family support.

Consultation on the revised National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland: National guidance for child protection - revised: consultation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)