Rosemary Byrne to champion child protection training
Rosemary Byrne today reaffirmed her commitment to multi-agency child protection in Scotland:
The recent NSPCC survey of schools which highlighted concerns over undetected child abuse has served to reinforce the argument for an inter-agency approach to child protection.
As a member of the Scottish Parliament’s Education Committee I have heard from witnesses, of varied agencies, who have voiced concerns over child abuse and a commitment to child protection. We must involve them all.
We must ensure the schools, the social services, police and voluntary services are properly trained and resourced. We must ensure that they themselves are transparent and open to inspection. We must also ensure that the wider community is aware of, and performing it’s role in child protection.
We must also better support the people upon whom much child protection falls. The rising number of children at risk through parental drug abuse, alcohol abuse or domestic violence means that an increasing number of grandparents are fulfilling that role. The support they get is patchy or non-existent.
Child protection must not only allow for the inclusion of grandparents but also guarantee the support of the state when they do so. Many grandparents are carers and protectors and their role should be recognised.
Inter-agency child protection must involve all the institutions that govern the lives of our children. Grandparents are invariably pillars of the institution of the family. They in turn must be supported.
Contact:
Rosemary Byrne MSP
Constituency Office
106 Montgomery Street
Irvine
Ayrshire KA12 8PW
Tel: 01294 313602
