Relatives 'crucial' in protecting children

Services have come under review

Early intervention is "vital" in reducing the risk to vulnerable young children, Scotland's deputy health minister has stressed.

Mary Mulligan said that simply acting to reduce the risk to young children is "not enough".

And she highlighted the "crucial contribution" of grandparents, aunts, uncles and in-laws towards supporting young families with problems.

Health services and local authorities need to give greater recognition and support to these relatives who provide so much practical help and wisdom

Mary Mulligan
Deputy health minister

She was speaking following the publication of a review of local authority and health services to support vulnerable families with young children, which was set up by Chief Social Work Inspector Angus Skinner.

During 2000-2001 almost 150 local authority social work records and some health visitor records were reviewed.

More than 350 interviews were carried out with professionals from health, social work, education and housing services.

The review said there was an extensive range of services in each area.

Social work involvement brought about an immediate improvement in more than half of the cases where there were concerns about children's safety, development or welfare.

However, a number of weaknesses were also identified.

They included:

• frontline staff were not always able to offer the right help at the right time and could appear unsympathetic or unhelpful

• it was not easy to gain access to services

• senior managers did not always provide effective leadership and support for frontline staff.

Ms Mulligan said: "Ascertaining risk and acting to reduce the risk to young children is vital but on its own it is not enough.

"Statutory agencies must not channel all their energies into investigating and monitoring children at the expense of providing direct help and resources to families.

"Early intervention is vital and does make a difference."

Kennedy was abused by her stepfather

She said the review highlighted the crucial role played by extended families.

"Health services and local authorities need to give greater recognition and support to these relatives who provide so much practical help and wisdom," she said.

She added that the findings reinforced the work of a review launched following the death of toddler Kennedy McFarlane.

The three-year-old died after horrific abuse from her stepfather in Dumfries, who was jailed in December 2000 for her killing.

That report found that half of all children at risk of abuse and neglect were being failed by the child protection system.

The recommendations included a three-year programme of activity to reform child protection services.

Improving services

ChildLine Scotland will also receive a £500,000 boost to enable it to open a second call centre in Aberdeen.

A ministerial summit to consider ways of further improving child protection services will take place next month.

Dr Sandra Grant, the chief executive of the Scottish Health Advisory Service, chaired the review's steering group.

She said: "The findings highlight the good work being done, but also demonstrate significant problems that urgently need to be tackled.

"The major factor is the need for the different agencies to work together in more innovative ways to provide the best care that focuses on the needs of the child."