Information Bulletin
Helping Keep Children and Young People Safe in Shetland
During April a leaflet ‘What to do to help if you are worried about a child or young person’ will be delivered to all households in Shetland. Shetland Child Protection Committee is urging folk not to chuck it, but to keep it handy for future reference.
A recent survey for Shetland Islands Council showed that 81% of those sampled knew the numbers to ring or could easily find them, but some had concerns about the response they would get, with some thinking agencies would overreact and others afraid that not enough would be done.
The new mailshot aims to reach the 19% who were less certain where to get help, and to explain what actually does happen when a call is made to children’s social work about a child you are concerned about.
The leaflet is an update on the one circulated a couple of years back and as well as the local contact numbers it includes the newly advertised national ChildProtectionLine number. This freephone number connects callers to a call centre where staff are trained to reroute calls to the appropriate agency, or to send out information leaflets for more general enquiries.
However, it is not a helpline, and many people in Shetland would prefer to ring a local professional direct. The leaflet lists various options, including national helplines like ChildLine and ParentLine, and also the local numbers.
Chief Inspector Malcolm Bell, Chair of Child Protection Committee, explained:
‘Looking out for children and young people is everyone’s responsibility, so doing nothing when you have concerns is never an option.
Where a child may be at risk of abuse or neglect, the sooner the family gets help the more chance there is of a successful outcome. The aim is always to provide support to enable families to stay together unless the child’s safety requires an alternative to be found.
When parents, for whatever reason, cannot provide safe care for their children, social workers look to other family members who may be able to help. In some cases a child needs to spend time with a foster family, either for short breaks or a longer period of care.
There is currently a need for more foster carers in Shetland. Foster carers do a fantastic job and anyone who would like to be considered for this role can contact Jenny Callieu by ringing 01595 744400 and she will explain the assessment process.’
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