Consultation opens on new guidance for child protection in Scotland

The National Guidance describes the responsibilities and expectations of everyone who works with children, young people and their families in Scotland and sets out how agencies should work together to protect children from abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Professionals will have until 17 January 2021 to give their views on the updated guidance, which can be downloaded at https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/consultation-paper/2020/10/consultation-revised-national-guidance-child-protection-scotland-2020/documents/draft-national-guidance-child-protection-scotland-2020/draft-national-guidance-child-protection-scotland-2020/govscot%3Adocument/draft-national-guidance-child-protection-scotland-2020.pdf

The purpose of the consultation is to get views on aspects such as ‘the tone, level of detail and approach in the revised guidance’.

It is hoped that these views will shape the guidance, particularly in relation to the description of new or significant aspects, and will alert the government to whether there are any omissions or aspects that have not been adequately addressed.

The consultation is part of a plan to get thoughts on the new guidance, which also includes engagement sessions.

The Scottish Government says that “views will inform the final content of the revised National Guidance, and future developments in child protection improvement work more generally” and adds that the final revised guidance will be published in Spring 2021.