"Working in Partnership, with you, to protect Grampian's children"
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 is drawn from members of public services, such as social work, education, health, police and legal services. There are also representatives from the armed forces and voluntary section. All of these agencies have a common interest in, and duties of responsibilities to, children and young people.
The NESCPC is the key local body for developing and implementing inter-agency child protection strategy. The three main committee functions are strategic planning, continuous improvement and public information. The NESCPC maintains the Child Protection Register which covers all the local authority areas. It develops inter-agency guidance, provides multi-agency training, undertakes significant case reviews and promotes the sharing of good practice in protecting children and keeping them safe.
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 operates 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:
Structure of the NESCPC
The NESCPC takes forwardits work via 6 Portfolios NESCPC Structure diagram- each containinga number of areas of responsibility for a named Portfolio Holder. This does not mean that the specific committee member does all the work associated with the portfolio but that he or she takes the lead and ensures that progress is made as required. The identifiable areas are not seen as exhaustive and are regularly reviewed to ensure that all NESCPC business is addressed.
The portfolios and responsible services are:
Training (Education - Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire/Moray)
The NESCPC aims to provide multi-agency training that meets the needs of staff across the North East of Scotland. The NESCPC has adopted a three level strategy for the delivery of child protection training. This strategy has been adapted from the Scottish Government Child Protection Training Framework. This approach allows staff to determine which training is most apporpriate 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.
Reviews (NHS Grampian)
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.
- If and when appropriate to 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. 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 (Aberdeenshire Social Work)
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 such as the "Getting Our Priorities Right" and "Hidden Harm Pack" and ""Inter-agency Guidance for Working with Unco-operative Families".
A range of leaflets have been produced:
- Home Alone
- Child Protection Case Conference Leaflet
- A range of child specific leaflets are currently under development and these will be added to the website on completion
- Further guidance is currently under development relating to "Risk Assessment Framework" and "Guidance for Working with Underage Sexually Active Children and Young People" and these will be added to the website on compleltion.
Work is also ongoing in taking forward the recommendations from
Significant Case Reviews
Communications (Aberdeen City Social Work)
A NESCPC Communications Strategy has been produced and there is a supporting distribution process to ensure dissemination of information and guidance - NESCPC Communication Strategy Flowchart. This portfolio has the responsibility of supporting the Child Protection Register and also supports nationally driven developments such as Child Protection Messaging and the national Child Protection Helpline. A NESCPC newsletter is also produced every 3 months . Anyone wanting further information on matters relating to the Child Protection Committee can contact the NESCPC office staff at info@nescpc.org.uk or Tel. 01224 814646. If you have concerns about a child or young person, then please follow the link to another area of this website.
Governance (Grampian Police)
This portfolio has responsibility for the NESCPC annual report 07-08 and business plan and generally supports the work of the NESCPC office staff. The NESCPC holds a bi-annual National Conference - our last being in March 2008"Securing a Protective Environment for Children and Young People with Disabilities " NESCPC Conference Report. The NESCPC Constitution has been updated. The portfolio has responsibility for management information and the strategic planning process.
Continuous Improvement (Moray Social Work)
This portfolio has set up a multi-agency quality assurance group. This group is looking at the common continuous improvement issues from HMIe inspections and self evaluation and is the process of establishing an agreed continuous improvement methodology. This gorup will consider the impact of the work of the NESCPC on practice delivery.
Groups Linking to the NESCPC
The NESCPC has 3 multi-agency local Practice groups where operational managers meet to take forward the child protection agenda in their own geographical area, ensuring that the NESCPC strategy translates into practice and also that operational issues can be communicated effectively to the main CPC. There is also a Chief Officers group, where the chief executives/officers of the 3 Local Authorities, NHS Grampian and Grampian Police meet to identify and commission inter-agency activity with respect to protecting children and young people. This group ensures that appropriate resources, both in terms of manpower and finances are available to enable the agreed business plan to be progressed.
The NESCPC members and office staff participate in a wide range of relevant single and multi-agency meetings relating to child protection, such as local voluntary sector forums and Alcohol and Drugs Action Teams.
The NESCPC further links with national groups and other Child Protection Committees throughout Scotland giving opportunities to debate national issues and share knowledge and learning with other Chjild Protection Committees.
Membership of the CPC
The NESCPC is made up of representatives of all agencies that provide services to children, young people and their families in the North East NESCPC membership JUNE 2008.
NESCPC Office Staff
There are several posts whose roles are to support the work of the Committee. These are:-
Lead Officer - Corinne Begg
Development Officer - Debbie Smith
Multi-Agency Training Co-ordinator - Dave Humphrey
Administrative Assistant - Carol Calderwood
Research Analyst - Vacant
Clerical Assistant - Ann-Marie Park
Clerical Assistant - Joan Cooke (P/T)
These staff members are based at the NESCPC office at the Aberdeen Exhibiton and Conference Centre where the Child Protection Register and website are maintained, multi-agency child protection training is organised and all other CPC functions are administered.
Any queries about
the NESCPC can be directed by e-mailing info@nescpc.org.uk or
by telephoning 01224
814646
For contact
email addresses within the Child Protection Commitee,
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. |
