New Scots guidelines to promise children greater protection

Published on Tuesday 1 June 2010 23:16

MORE children who have been victims of child trafficking or bullying or have been vulnerable to online sexual predators will be considered for the child protection register under new guidelines.

Unborn babies who are given a child protection plan because of concerns over their parents or home life will also automatically go on the register under the proposed rules, which will now be part of a three-and-a-half-month consultation.

The Scottish Government wants more agencies to take responsibility for protecting youngsters from harm, and wants to see mental health, criminal justice and education services link up with children and families to stop them slipping through the net.

Although it means a lot more children will be flagged up as the net is cast wider, it is hoped that by reaching them sooner it will ultimately lead to fewer being placed on the child protection register.

The Scottish Government also believes it should not lead to greater costs for cash-strapped local authorities. A similar model in the Highlands led to a 75 per cent reduction in the amount of time spent in meetings, and social work caseloads halved.

Although some work is already done to protect children from modern threats such as online predators, trafficking, female genital mutilation and honour violence – as well as the older threat of bullying – it is seen as patchy, and this is the first time they appear in national guidelines.

In particular, officials are increasingly concerned about reports of Vietnamese children aged 12 to 15 being trafficked into Scotland to work in cannabis farms.

Adam Ingram, Scotland's minister for children and early years, said: "The protection of children and keeping them happy, healthy, and safe from harm is a key priority for the Scottish Government.

The new guidance sets out a national direction for how we expect children to be protected.

The guidelines do not come with powers to penalise public bodies that fail to meet them, but breaches will affect how local authorities are rated during inspections.

Scotland Commissioner for Children and Young People Tam Baillie said: "I welcome this consultation on the comprehensive draft guidance and will be studying it in some detail. It's been widely recognised as both much-needed and timely as it can take account of the child protection review published by HIME earlier this year, which highlighted strengths and weaknesses in child protection in Scotland.

"In particular, the proposals to improve information sharing and recording and the explicit recognition of the importance of children's rights are encouraging. I will respond in full in due course."