Secure Care Group: terms of reference

Secure Care Group was established to complete the outstanding work of the Secure Care Strategic Board (SCSB), which came to an end in December 2018, following a decision to transfer the long-term vision of secure care to the Independent Care Review (ICR).

The purpose of this new group is to provide strategic oversight to ensure that the remaining tasks of the board are completed and that there is no overlap or duplication of effort in the work of the independent Care Review (ICR).

The work of the group will include:

• overseeing the finalisation and implementation of the Secure Care National Standards
• providing strategic oversight for the SCSB commissioning work strand that was tasked with ensuring that the next round of commissioning takes account of the secure standards and the contract is in place by March 2020

The Chair

The group will be jointly chaired by the Scottish Government and COSLA. It is expected the joint chairs will be of a senior level with in their organisations to reflect the strategic function of this group. 

Links to other boards and groups

The group will have direct links to the commissioning group, the Children’s Hearings Improvement Partnership (CHIP) and the Youth Justice Improvement Board (YJIB), providing updates on the progress of their work.  The group will also ensure that it liaises with the ICR – the future role and focus of secure care is with them. Our focus will be on improving experiences for young people within the current arrangements.

Group members

The group will be made up of stakeholders with a strong interest and understanding of the issues and needs of young people in, and on the edges of secure care, with a focus on improving outcomes and experiences for those children.  

Members will:

• share the collective challenge of establishing and implementing the secure care standards
• bring their wealth of experience and skills along with a passionate interest in the welfare of young people
• represent the interests of their organisation, profession and sector in a manner which ensures that young people are at the centre of all decisions made

A list of members is provided at Annex A.

Structure of meetings

The group will initially meet quarterly. Each meeting will last 1-2 hours (excluding travel time). Previous minutes, an agenda and any papers will be circulated in advance by the secretariat which will be provided by the Scottish Government, or others as agreed. 

Annex A: list of members                                                                                                                    

The table below provider’s information on organisations / individuals that will be invited to join the group.

Organisation	Name and role
COSLA	Nicola Dickie (Joint Chair)
Scottish Government	Tom McNamara (Joint Chair)
Education Scotland	Steven McPherson
Care Inspectorate	Catherine Agnew, Andy Sloan
STARR Participation Group	Beth-Anne Logan
Scottish Government	Liz Murdoch
Scottish Government	David Cotterell (Secretariat)
Scotland Excel	Nicola Burleigh
Scotland Throughcare Aftercare Forum (STAF)	Norma Corlette
Police Scotland	Alan Muirhead
NHS / CAMHS	Helen Smith
Mental Health Facility	Aileen Blower
Office of the Chief Social Work Officer	Rod Finan
Secure Accommodation Network Rep	Rotating membership
Secure Accommodation Network Rep	Rotating membership
Independent Care Review	Lisa Muirhead (Observer)
CYCJ – Secure Care Practice Development Manager	Debbie Nolan
Chief Social Work Officer	Rod Finan
Care Inspectorate	Andrew Sloan
Care Inspectorate	Catherine Agnew
Scottish Prison Service	Gill Robinson
Independent Care Review	Emma Clater
Social Work Scotland	Ben Farrugia

If a group member is unable to attend meetings the must make every effort to send a deputy.  

If a member withdraws from the group they will be replaced by their successor in post or by a member of equivalent stature and portfolio interest.  

The group may, by agreement, invite external consultants, specialists, advisers or suitable professionals to attend meetings in order to assist and take forward business.