Chief Officer Group Briefing Note No. 10

Follow Up to Independent Review  for Chief Officers Group by Professor Peter Wilson

May 2010

Multi Agency Guidance - Section 1

Introduction to the 2nd Interim update

The update issued in November 2009 took into account the findings and recommendations in the Hawthorn/Wilson Significant Case Review Report relating to how we respond to immediate concerns and, in particular, IRDs.

At the time of issue, plans were in place to have all concerns about children not already involved with social work, directed to that department's Access Team. That plan has now been implemented. This is the main change reflected in this update.

This change is the first part of a more comprehensive planned development, as part of the Child Protection Improvement Plan, that includes the creation of a multi-agency assessment team.

Once that team is in place, it will be the point of contact for all concerns about children not already involved with social work services.

Amendments to the content of this procedure to reflect that further phase of development will be included in the comprehensive review and update of multi-agency guidance that is due by November 2010.  Click here for Updated Section 1

March 2010

HMIe Follow Through Inspection Report

The report of the interim follow-through inspection of child protection services in Dundee was published on 4th March 2010.

Click here for a copy of this report.

March 2010

Practice Review as part of Self-Evaluation

A key part of evaluating our services and learning so that we can improve what we do, is to look at our practice. Plans for the establishment of the CYPPC Practice Review Sub-group are now well advanced and the CYPPC office is now asking for possible referrals.

Although there will, inevitably, be referrals made when someone has a concern about how services have worked together and thinks this needs to be looked at, the CYPPC and those involved on its sub group are very clear about the power of good practice to inform and teach. Which is why they are hoping that people will refer cases highlighting what the referrer believes to be, high quality practice. The basis for this is that if we can examine, assess, analyse and understand why and how very good practice happens, we can then make sure this knowledge is shared across the board with the aim of allowing others to replicate that practice. It is well documented that we learn better from looking at good practice than we do from trying to 'fix' poor practice.

Click here for a copy of the Terms of Reference of the sub group.  This explains how it will work and including a flow chart showing the process to be followed.

February 2010

Child Trafficking Exhibition

An Interactive Child Trafficking Exhibition was launched on 5th February 2010 to raise awareness of this issue. It will be available throughout February and March 2010 in a variety of agency venues.

An interactive training tool is available on the ECPAT site.  Please click here to access this tool.

January 2010

Launch of 307999 - Dundee's Child Protection Line

As part of the programme of continuous improvement and development of child protection services, '307999 - Dundee's Child Protection Line'  went live on 25 th January.

For some time, services have agreed on the need for there to be one, 24-hour-per-day telephone number that could be advertised to people in Dundee as the number to call if they had concerns about children or young people. The technical issues and holding off for the right number meant that we had to wait until now for it to happen.

An initial launch campaign, featuring sponsorship of a safety campaign in conjunction with Tay FM and advertising in the Evening Telegraph, will be backed up by longer-term awareness raising throughout 2010.