Secure Care Group minutes: March 2023
- Published
- 26 September 2024
- Directorate
- Children and Families Directorate
- Topic
- Children and families
- Date of meeting
- 23 March 2023
- Date of next meeting
- 2 October 2023
Minutes from the meeting of the group on secure care group on 23 March 2023
Attendees and apologies
Tom McNamara, Scottish Government Children’s Rights, Protection and Justice (Chair)
Matthew Sweeney, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities COSLA
Mary Geaney, Rossie Young People’s Trust
Jim Shields, St Mary’s Kenmure
Sinclair Soutar, Kibble Safe Centre
Alison Gough, Good Shepherd Centre
James Mackenzie, Scotland Excel
Monica McLean, Scotland Excel
Janine McCullough, Education Scotland
Charlotte Wilson, Care Inspectorate
Chloe Riddell, The Promise Scotland
Ruby Whitelaw, CYCJ
Laura Conachan, CHS
Rod Finan, SG Office of the Chief Social Work Advisor
Juliet Henderson, Police Scotland
Helen Smith, NSAIS (Foxgrove)
Gerry Michie, Polmont YOI
Frank Slokan, SPS
Donna Munro, SG CAMHS
Maureen Roberts, CYCJ
Donna McEwan, CYCJ
Kate Tobin, Dartington
Katie Upsdale, Dartington
Liz Murdoch, SG Youth Justice
Alison Melville, SG Youth Justice
Nathan Stokes, SG Youth Justice
Apologies:
Laura Caven, COSLA
Jillian Gibson, COSLA
Andy Sloan, Care Inspectorate
Chris Wright, Care Inspectorate
Zoe Brawn, Scotland Excel
Beth-Anne Logan, STARR
Mark Crawford, Edinburgh Secure Services
Ben Farrugia, Social Work Scotland
Helen Smith, NSAIS (Foxgrove)
Victoria McNulty, NSAIS (Foxgrove)
Aileen Blower SG CAMHS Psychiatry Adviser
Jo Derrick, STAF
Melissa Hunt, SCRA
Items and actions
Welcome and Introductions
Tom welcomed all to the meeting and invited introductions as there had been some changes in membership since the last meeting.
Note of the last meeting
There was only one action point from the note of the meeting held on 31 August around secure transport. This is now complete, and initial discussions have taken place with secure care centres about the possibility of them providing this service.
All were content to clear the note as an accurate record of the discussion.
Update since last meeting
An update paper was circulated in advance of the meeting, summarising some of the activity which has been going on since the last meeting. This note is attached as Annex A.
Care and Justice Bill
Tom confirmed that Stage 1 Committee sessions for the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill had begun. Many members of the group had been called to give evidence to the Education and Young People Committee and the Criminal Justice Committee on 29 March.
Bill Resourcing and Implementation Group – Tom explained that policy memorandum which had been produced 6 months ago contained only limited information and projected budgets. An implementation group is being set up to explore further resourcing and implementation barriers prior to Stage 2.
UPDATE : Group meeting scheduled for 5 JUNE at CYCJ, Strathclyde University. Invitations to issue shortly.
Reimagining Secure Care
The Scottish Government (SG) have commissioned the Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ) to lead a programme of work to consider what is needed to support this legislative change and ensure a shared understanding of where developments and improvements are required.
The SG, COSLA and Social Work Scotland are members of a Governance Group which will oversee delivery of the project. The Group may invite specialists, advisers or suitable professionals to attend meetings to assist discussions and to support delivery of specific actions. CYCJ will also report to the Secure Care Group and consider which issues need to be escalated for consideration or decision.
Reimagining Secure Care
Maureen Roberts outlined the work of the Reimagining Secure Care Project and introduced an interactive Miro Board session seeking views on 4 questions to inform their work programme:
- What does ‘reimagining secure care in Scotland’ mean to you? What does it make you feel or think?
- What does success for children and young people in ‘reimagining secure care’ look like to you?
- What do you think are the main barriers and enablers to success within this project? (eg people, places, processes, policies, priorities)
- In your opinion, what is in scope and out of scope for this project?
It was highlighted that secure centres have been actively involved in a change agenda and they are not starting from a blanking page.
Tom stressed it was important that we see this work as an improvement agenda, building on current good practice.
Action Points:
- All members were invited to share reflections and additional insights to the Miro Board by 6 April.
- A stakeholder prioritisation survey was also circulated for views to help the Project Team determine the core groups of stakeholders they will need to prioritise over the lifetime of the project and determine any gaps in their stakeholder mapping.
Terms of Reference
Tom suggested there was a need to revisit the terms of reference for the group as we enter this new phase of work, to ensure they are focussed and disciplined. Janine warned against the dangers of silo working and the need to be aware of related work programmes. Tom agreed that the group needs to be alive to recommendations and pressures coming from elsewhere, and can try to influence that work, it is not the group’s role to take the lead.
Action Point:
- Tom asked members to send comments on issues which need to be prioritised in the terms of reference in light of today’s discussion to alison.melville@gov.scot by 6 April.
Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held at the end of June 2023.
SECURE CARE GROUP MEETING
11:00-13:00 - 23 MARCH 2023
UPDATE PAPER
SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT
Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill
The Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill was introduced to Parliament on 13 December.
The aim of the Bill is to ensure that where children come into contact with care and justice services, this happens in age-appropriate systems and settings. Provisions include:
- raising the maximum age of referral to the Principal Reporter to 18;
- ending the placement of children in YOIs;
- protection for victims and preventative measures in the children’s hearings system;
- consideration of court adaptations for children;
- new powers around the recognition and regulation of cross border care placements.
The Bill has been assigned to the Education, Children and Young People Committee as lead committee. In advance of formal Stage 1 evidence they have begun informal evidence sessions. They have also launched a call for views which closed on 17 March. Evidence sessions are scheduled in the coming weeks, including with the Minister for Children and Young People on 3 May.
The Criminal Justice Committee have a particular interest on the ending of placements in YOI. They are holding an evidence session on 29 March followed by one with the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and The Minister for Children and Young People on 19 April.
The Financial Memorandum sets out current understanding of financial implications of the Bill but it is recognises that “The Scottish Government commits to monitoring any evidence from third parties during parliamentary scrutiny concerning possible forecasts and any subsequent cost implications”. The Finance and Public Administration Committee is seeking views the Financial memo by 2 April.
Reimagining Secure Care
In addition to legislation, it is important that we consider how our secure care system operates overall in order to meet the Promise’s recommendations relating to this type of care. The Scottish Government have commissioned CYCJ to lead a project designed to create a comprehensive understanding amongst stakeholders of what is required to support secure care services to meet the needs of all children who are deprived of their liberty.
The Reimagining Secure Care Project will be led by Maureen Roberts and Donna McEwan of CYCJ, with Dartington Service Design Lab providing support on initiatives that require system and service design. Made up of 4 phases, the project will run for around 18 months:
Phase 1 – Discover – to understand where developments and improvements could be most impactful and achievable.
Phase 2 – Define – to ascertain what has been identified as the most important areas to develop/prioritise within each of the secure centres and collectively in relation to provision in Scotland.
Phase 3 – Develop – to bring together a visual blueprint of what secure care could and should look like in Scotland.
Phase 4 – Deliver – to deliver a redesigned secure care provision to meet the needs of all children and stakeholders.
This is a collaborative project where all parties will have an opportunity to be involved in the different phases.
SG Funding
The Scottish Government are funding a 3 month pilot paying for one bed in each of the 4 contracted secure centres. The objectives of this trial are:
- to ensure capacity for children living in Scotland when it’s needed;
- to provide financial support to the 4 contracted secure centres as we begin these discussions; and
- to assess the viability of expanding national funding in order to meet the longer-term changes required to meet the asks of the Promise.
The trial runs from 1 January 2023 until 31 March 2023. Further consideration will be given to extending the pilot and possibly expanding to cover funding of more placements in secure care.
Youth Justice Improvement Board
The most recent meeting was on 8 March. Helpful updates from Children’s Rights and Advancing Whole System Approach subgroups. Detailed discussion on Bill provisions. Minutes and papers available on request. Suggestion of joint future sessions with Justice Board and with CHIP – once HSWG report has been received.
Children’s Hearings Improvement Partnership
The last meeting was on 2 March. Discussion centred on adaptations to language, and on preparing to receive Sheriff Mackie’s Hearings System Working Group redesign proposals. Minutes and papers available on request.
Hearings System Working Group
The Hearings System Working Group chaired by Sheriff Mackie is expected to report its recommendations in mid-May. The Scottish Government will take time to consider the detail and recommendations put forward in the report in detail and will engage with stakeholders before any next steps are taken.
UNCRC
We remain committed to the incorporation into Scots law of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as far as possible within devolved competence and to doing that as soon as practicable. The Minister for Children and Young People has this week written to the convener of the Equalities and Human Rights Committee to confirm the Government’s continuing commitment to the Bill and to provide updated information on our work to bring it back to this Parliament.
COSLA
Secure Transport
The Secure Transport working group reconvened on 23rd February. Whilst it had been some months since the group had met much work had being going on to co‑design a draft specification for secure transport. The purpose of bringing the transport group together again was to discuss the possible options and next steps, for the specification and in wider terms of the future of secure transport. From the meeting it was clear that data around the use of secure transport remains a significant barrier to moving forward with possible solutions. To that end, all centres have kindly agreed to collect a range of transport data between 1st March and 31st May to give a clearer understanding of transport use. A small number of LAs have also agreed to collect data.
Each centre is collecting data on:
- Journey Dates
- Time
- Destination
- Distance
- Time outwith service
- Reason for journey
- Planned / Unplanned
- Legality (CHS / Court)
- Scottish LA
In addition to the collection of data, using existing information from previous work, meetings and the specification, Scotland Excel have agreed to support the development of an options appraisal paper for future options.
CYCJ
Secure Care Pathway and Standards Scotland
The ‘Secure Care Pathway and Standards Scotland: The journey of implementation’ report has been written by CYCJ supported by partner agencies who have shared practice examples of how they have applied the Standards to their practice. The report reflects the progress made nationally as well as highlighting what needs additional work if the Pathway and Standards are to be embedded effectively on a multi-agency basis. The report is due to be published at the end of March 2023.
Standards workshops continue to be made available to all agencies. Plans are in place for two local authority workshops next month.
The Promise
To support the Scottish Governments Youth Justice Vision, CYCJ were tasked with writing a scoping report identifying the needs of children who experience secure care and YOIs. The resulting ‘Preparing to Keep the Promise: A Comparative Study of Secure Care and Young Offender Institutions in Scotland’ has been peer reviewed and will be published late March/early April 2023.
Secure Care Pathway and Standards Champions group
The Champions group continues to meet six weekly and there has been a consistency in group membership which includes the secure care centres, third sector, local authorities, SCRA, the Scottish Government, CYCJ, STARR, CELCIS. The group continue to explore the secure care pathway and standards, sharing evidence of good practice and exploring ways to overcome barriers. At the last meeting a short life subgroup was formed to develop a template for agencies to share good practice, this involved the development of a practice example. This material will be made available on the Standards website.
It was agreed last year that we would develop a bi-annual secure care newsletter to reflect the progress made by the Champions group. A format for this has been agreed and the first iteration will be published in the forthcoming weeks.
Secure Care Practitioners Forum
The practitioner’s forum for secure care continues to meet every second month. Practitioners are currently working on a pre arrival checklist.
STARR
STARR continue to be in great demand and increased membership is needed to support their ongoing work which has included supporting organisations to develop information and resources. A letter to be shared with potential new members has been formulated.
Four Nations Secure Care Symposium
On the 14th of March CYCJ hosted the Four Nations Secure Care Symposium. The first part of the webinar consisted of learning from research undertaken within the UK and internationally before STARR provided input on the secure care experience. The second session comprised of key stakeholders exploring potential future research that could inform practice developments in secure care. More than 200 people attended the initial event.
Care Inspectorate
Depriving and restricting liberty for children and young people
The Care Inspectorate are seeking feedback on a draft position paper setting out their position on restrictions/deprivations of liberty and guidance for providers of care homes, school care and secure accommodation. The consultation closes on 31 March.
Secure Care Pathway Review
Link to the February 2023 update on the review launched last summer: Secure Care Pathway Review - Update 3 (office.com)
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