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© 2012 Angus Child Protection Committee

Child Protection in Angus

National Guidance - Carrying out the Task

This section outlines how Chief Officers will ensure that the tasks of the CPC are carried out effectively. It covers the following:

• membership;
• key roles and responsibilities;
• CPC meetings;
• business conducted outwith formal meetings; and
• ensuring that the work of the CPC is informed by the perspective of children and young people.

Membership

There are two aspects to membership of CPCs:

• level of authority, and
• representation.

Authority

Each Chief Officer must ensure that their representative on the CPC carries sufficient delegated authority to realise the objectives of the agreed business plan on behalf of their agency. The agency representative will be of a sufficiently senior grade or have the sufficient level of authorisation to make the required policy and resource commitments.

Members of CPCs will:

• represent the commitment of their agency to promoting the safety and welfare of children and young people, preventing abuse and neglect and the protection of children and young people;
• have the delegated authority to make strategic and operational decisions on behalf of their agency in relation to child protection;
• facilitate communication between the CPC and their agency; and
• contribute their skill and expertise to the work of the CPC.

The CPC has the responsibility to ensure that members are able to maximise their contribution to its work. This includes:

• ensuring that they reflect the contribution that all agencies have to make to child protection work;
• providing support and training opportunities for CPC members; and
• ensuring that new members are fully appraised of the work of the CPC and their role within it.

Representation

Differing structures across Scotland have meant that the same functions are sometimes fulfilled by departments with different names, so this section may require local interpretation.

At a minimum, the following will be represented on the core membership of the CPC:

• Local Authority Social Work Services, including children and families and criminal justice;
• Local Authority Education Services;
• Community Services, including youth and leisure services;
• Housing Services whether Local Authority or an arms-length agency;
• Health Services;
• services in relation to drugs and alcohol;
• Police;
• Procurator Fiscal;
• Scottish Children's Reporter Administration;
• Armed Forces in areas where there is a significant presence;
• the independent education sector in areas where there is a significant presence; and
• the voluntary sector.

The CPC should consider cross representation with other bodies where this will enhance the capacity of agencies to protect children and young people.

Role of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Services (COPFS)

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) recognises the importance of child protection and its relevance to COPFS functions with regard to the investigation and prosecution of crime. Child protection is one among a number of issues which Procurators Fiscal (PFs) must be alert to in carrying out their investigative and prosecutorial functions. Accordingly PFs of a sufficiently senior level (at least principal depute grade) will attend CPCs.

CPC chairs are, however, encouraged to consider how meeting agendas might be structured to allow local PF representatives to attend only in respect of matters to which PFs can contribute. Mostly PFs will have a part to play in respect of agenda items related to PF/police investigations into, or proceedings involving, the abuse of children; a situation where other children are at risk in some way; or the death of a child. PFs will willingly participate in training for CPC members as regards the PF role in the area of child protection.

Role of the Voluntary Sector

It is essential that the voluntary sector is fully engaged in the protection of children in their area. This must include representation of the voluntary sector at the CPC. However, given the diversity and depth of the sector, it is recognised that this, of itself, is not sufficient to ensure voluntary sector interests have the opportunity to be aware of and help inform the child protection agenda.

Each CPC will:

• engage the voluntary sector in effective partnership working to protect children and young people;
• seek to maximise the contribution to the protection of children by the voluntary sector; and
• where one does not already exist, establish a forum to engage locally with the voluntary sector more widely in relation to child protection.

Key roles and responsibilities

Chair of the CPC

The chair of the CPC is responsible for:

• chairing meetings of the CPC, and ensuring that they are conducted in a manner that reflects the contribution that all agencies have to make to child protection;
• ensuring that the CPC effectively fulfils its functions;
• managing the Lead Officer (see 4.12 below), who will be accountable to the CPC whatever the employment arrangements put in place, on behalf of the CPC. The Lead Officer will report to the chair of the CPC. However, the day-to-day management of the Lead Officer could be undertaken within one of the agencies by local agreement, but this must not confuse the clear management and accountability of the Lead Officer to the CPC through the Chair;
• ensuring the development of the annual business plan and report;
• agreeing the resource requirement for the work of the CPC, including that required to chair the CPC effectively;
• ensuring that the CPC collaborates with other CPCs; and
• reporting to Chief Officers.

The Chair will have considerable experience in both inter-agency working and child protection, and be either a senior officer from one of the key agencies or an independent person appointed specifically to the task. In either case the appointment will be made by Chief Officers or agreed by them.

Lead Officer of the CPC

A CPC requires dedicated staff time and resources to support the implementation and delivery of its core functions as required by this guidance. The level and configuration of that dedicated resource is a matter for agreement with Chief Officers.

Each CPC will have:

• as a minimum, a Lead Officer to implement its core functions (known as the Development Manager, Child Protection in Angus); and
• an inter-agency training co-ordinator, or specific training capacity to ensure the delivery of training and staff development on an inter-agency basis.

It may be appropriate for some CPCs to enter into arrangements to share such posts or, indeed, to engage additional officers (professional and clerical) as required to support and execute its functions as agreed with Chief Officers. The employment arrangements for these officers must fully reflect their status as officers of the CPC and their direct accountability to the CPC itself. It is recognised that across Scotland there are differences in terms and conditions for inter-agency staff. It is beyond the scope of this guidance to stipulate terms and conditions for Lead Officers. This is a matter for local agreement. However, Lead Officers will be of sufficient seniority to carry authority with partner agencies.

Delivering the Plan

The CPC will establish mechanisms to ensure that the business plan of the CPC is carried out. It is for the CPC, in conjunction with Chief Officers, to determine the most suitable arrangements for their locality.

Each CPC will:

• identify the most appropriate mechanisms for their locality whether these are standing working groups or other mechanisms;
• ensure that these mechanisms are reflected in the constitution of the CPC;
• ensure that there is a clear remit with regard to their connection with the work of the CPC itself; and
• ensure that there is a clear and direct link to the CPC.
• CPCs should consider the sharing of working groups with other fora as a means of streamlining planning efforts, helping develop and deliver integrated services and avoiding duplication. An example of this would be a joint DAAT/CPC working group to consider children and young people affected by substance misuse.

References

• Children (Scotland) Act 1995.
• Local Government in Scotland Act 2003.
• Scottish Office (1998) Protecting Children A Shared Responsibility: Guidance on Inter-Agency Co-operation.
• Scottish Executive (2002) It's everyone's job to make sure I'm alright. Report of the Child Protection Audit and Review.
• Scottish Executive (2004) Protecting Children and Young People: The Charter.
• Scottish Executive (2004) Protecting Children and Young People: Framework for Standards.

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