Information Bulletin
06 December 2005
Protecting Children and Young People in Shetland
Shetland Child Protection Committee has published its annual report for 2004-5, now available for inspection at Shetland Library. The Committee brings together representatives from the major agencies and the voluntary sector. It is responsible for:
- providing public information about safeguarding children
- promoting continuous improvement in this work, and
- ensuring that agencies and the voluntary sector work together to
- promote the welfare of children and young people, taking into account their own views.
The annual report has been agreed by the Chief Officers of Shetland Islands Council, NHS Shetland and the Northern Constabulary, to reflect the importance attached to this work at the highest level, by these and their partner agencies. Chief officers also approved a new constitution for CPC which emphasises its responsibilities and links with other agencies and planning bodies.
With the aim of improving public information, a leaflet was provided to every household in Shetland detailing how anyone in the community can play their part in keeping children safe from harm and from others. With the co-operation of the Shetland times, improved listing were agreed for the Shetland Directory, which should also help people find the right numbers to ring if there are concerns about a child's welfare. A phone call could ensure that discreet enquiries are made to find out whether a child or young person needs help.
Small cards that people can carry in their wallets or handbags were distributed to Council and Health Board staff in Shetland, and more for use by voluntary groups and others now available.
Materials to help community and voluntary groups operate in a child-safe way were developed with financial support from the Community Safety Partnership. These materials are available for anyone to use at www.shetland.gov.uk\childsafeshetland. Training for groups in using these materials, and regarding their legal obligations under the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act was also provided.
The aim is to make sure children and young people get help when they need it. The sooner help is provided, the better the outcome is likely to be for the child or young person concerned and their family.
Detailed information about how agencies respond to expressions of concern is accessible on the internet by following the link at http://www.shetland.gov.uk/socialwork-health/services/child-protection.asp
These agreed Procedures are regularly updated to reflect best practice. Any suggestions for improvement are welcome and can be addressed to the Committee's Child Protection Co-ordinator at 91-93 St Olaf Street, Lerwick. Should would particularly welcome hearing from any young person who may have personal experience of how the Procedures worked to help protect themselves or a friend, and how they could have worked better.
The Committee regularly considers information about child protection activities. In all, 42 children were referred to Social Work during the year, for consideration of a child protection investigation, in addition to referrals received for children and families in need of some other form of help or support. During the year, the names of 28 children in Shetland were on the Child Protection Register as having suffered or being at risk of physical injury, physical neglect, emotional abuse or neglect, or sexual abuse. Protection plans were in place for these children, designed to improve the situation tot he point were registration was no longer needed. Children's names stayed on the Register generally for 6-12 months, during which period they were either able to stay safely with their parents, with appropriate support, or were being looked after safely elsewhere, for example with other family members, or in a foster family.
The Chair of Shetland Child Protection Committee regularly rotates between the agencies represented. Current Chair is Insp. Malcolm Bell. In making the annual report available to the public, Insp. Bell said,
"We are pleased with the work done over the year and hope we are getting the message out to the community that child protection is everyone's job. Sadly, we can never entirely eliminate the abuse and neglect of children, so we all need to keep constantly alert and take action to make sure that children get the help they need when they need it."
Protecting Children and Young People: The Charter
Ends
Information for media:
Further information regarding this press release from:
Malcolm Bell, Inspector, Northern Constabulary and Chair of Shetland Child Protection Committee, Tel: 01595 692110
Kate Gabb, Authority Reported and Vice-Chair of Shetland Child Protection Committee, Tel: 01595 692436