The Child Protection Committee

The NESCPC - Structure, Function and Membership

The Scottish Government has agreed a vision for all Scotland's children: that they should be:

Safe Active

Healthy Respected

Achieving Responsible

Nurtured Included

The NESCPC has a particular focus on a child's safety. Children in Grampian have a right to feel safe and be protected from harm.

The NESCPC has a Mission Statement:

"Protecting Grampian's Children: It's Everyone's Business"

Legal and Policy Context

Child Protection Committees do not have a statutory basis, however their role and functions are set out in the national guidance - visit "CPC Guidance" at www.scotland.gov.uk. The NESCPC and its sub-committees operate within the context of the Children Scotland Act 1995. The policy context for all those involved in the development and delivery of child protection services are:

Protecting Children and Young People The Charter
Protecting Children and Young People The Framework for Standards

Structure of the NESCPC

The North East of Scotland Child Protection Committee (NESCPC) covers the three local authority areas of Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray. Membership of the NESCPC and its three sub-committees is drawn from members of public services, such as social work, health, police, legal services and the voluntary sector. All of these agencies have a responsibility to develop and implement inter-agency child protection strategy. The three main functions are strategic planning, continuous improvement and public information as they relate to protecting children.

Within the North East model, responsibility and accountability for the Child Protection Committee functions is shared between the NESCPC and local Child Protection Sub Committees. The local Sub-Committees have autonomy and responsibility for the delivery and quality assurance of multi-agency child protection services and practice in their own areas.

The NESCPC continues to support the local partnerships by the provision of a singe child protection register, common Pan Grampian guidance, inter-agency training, the undertaking of significant case reviews and dissemination of learning. The NESCPC also retains a formal governance role and responsibility in the structure as well as a support function. The NESCPC and the local sub committees deliver the functions of inter-agency strategic planning, public information and continuous improvement as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding supported by the NESCPC office. The NESCPC office also maintains the Child Protection Register which covers the three local authority areas.

The NESCPC model has several advantages

Comparable high quality child protection services in every area of the North East of Scotland
Efficiency and reduced costs by developing those aspects of child protection collectively that would otherwise have to be addressed three times over
Greater protection to families and children through common standards of delivery of services together with unified processes where appropriate.
Region-wise support to locally accountable partnership delivery structures.

The NESCPC Portfolios

The NESCPC takes forward its work via 6 Portfolios - each containing a number of areas of responsibility with a named Portfolio Holder.

The portfolios are:

Training

The NESCPC aims to provide multi-agency training that meets the needs of staff across the North East of Scotland. The NESCPC has a four-level approach to the delivery of child protection training, which has been adapted from the Scottish Government Child Protection Training Framework. This approach allows staff to determine which training is most appropriate for their role and setting. It is important that staff consider this before applying for courses to ensure that training best meets their requirements. All training is free of charge. Further details of all NESCPC training can be found in our Training Calendar which is updated every 6 months. TrainingCalendar2010_-_July_-_December_1 which is updated every six months. This portfolio also leads on the planning and delivery of the bi-annual NESCPC National Conference. this is taking place on 21st September, 2010 at the AECC and is titled "Child Neglect - Challenges and Dilemmas" .

Reviews

This portfolio is responsible for NESCPC Significant Case Reviews. The purpose of these are to:-

Establish whether there are lessons to be learned about how better to protect children and young people and help ensure children get the help they need when they need it in the future.
Make recommendations for action
Consider how recommended actions are to be implemented
Increase public confidence in public services, providing a level of assurance about how those services acted in relation to a significant case about a child.

A protocol, Terms of Reference, SCR Communications Strategy, and Referral Form have been produced to support this process. This group also takes account if relevant national reviews and HMIe inspection reports and how their recommendations may relate to local practices. Completed Significant Case Reviews, both locally and from other areas are placed on the website on completion and as agreed. Significant Case Reviews

Operations and Practice

This portfolio has produced the NESCPC Guidelines which are updated on a 6 monthly basis and all are asked to check the Guidelines online for any future usage to ensure they are following the most up to date practices. The portfolio has ongoing responsibility for Practice Development and this has included inter-agency guidance.

This portfolio also works to ensure that the recommendations from the Significant Case Review are taken forward.

Communications

This portfolio has the responsibility of supporting the Child Protection Register and also support nationally driven developments such as Child Protection Messaging and the national Child Protection Helpline. A NESCPC Communications Strategy is in place. A NESCPC newsletter is produced every 3 months. A Range of leaflets are also available for downloading from the website.

Governance

This portfolio has responsibility for the NESCPC Annual Report and Business Plan and generally supports the work of the NESCPC office staff. The portfolio also has responsibility for management information and the NESCPC budget. A quarterly report is produced for the Chief Officers, giving management information and analyses from the statistics relating to the Child Protection Register. Other areas of responsibility include the strategic planning process, leading on NESCPC slef evaluation processes and establishment of an agreed continuous improvement methodology.

Voluntary Sector

Following a recent review of the NESCPC it was agreed that a specific portfolio should be established to progress and highlight the work of the voluntary sector in relation to child protection. This is currently under development.

Group Relationships

Under review.

NESCPC Office Staff

The office staff are there to support the NESCPC and, where appropriate, sub-committee functions and comprise of:

Lead Officer - Corinne Begg

Development Officer - Debbie Smith

Multi-Agency Training Co-ordinator - Vacant

Administrative Officer - Carol Calderwood

WPO/Clerical Assistant - Ann-Marie Park

WPO/Clerical Assistant - Vacant

These staff members are based at the NESCPC office at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre in Aberdeen. The office manage and maintain the Child Protection Register and the NESCPC website, plan and organise multi-agency child protection training and support and administer all other CPC functions.

For queries about the NESCPC can be directed by e-mailing info@nescpc.org.uk or by telephoning 01224 814646

For contact details about the Child Protection Committee, please view the NESCPC Committee and Contacts section.

Do not use these contact details to pass on concerns about a child. For information about how to pass on concerns about a child click here.

North East of Scotland Child Protection Committee