Child Protection Guidance 2021

Part 4: Specific support needs and concerns 212 National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2021 Version 1.0 September 2021 4.485 Organisational response. The scale and nature of the emergency will determine the scope of organisational response. The COVID-19 pandemic required national and internationa l response. In S cotland, central and local adaptations have had to be rapid, comprehensive and consistent in order to control infection, sustain essential services and protect those most vulnerable. Supplementary guidance on child protection w as published by Scottish Government alongside other essential guidance. When emergencies are of a more local nature, Scottish Government have set out principles of emergency response in Scotland in Preparing Scotland: Scottish Guidance on Resilience. Responder organisations must come together through Regional Resilience Partnerships (North of Scotland, East of Scotland and West of Scotland) and will provide such strategic support for multi-agency planning as may be necessary. 4.486 Protective practice with children and families. A child safeguarding lens is necessary in prevention, preparedness, immediate relief, recovery and reconstruction. The COVID-19 pandemic heightened some risks in relation to coercive control, domestic and online abuse and as a result of suspension or reduction in direct contact with services. Conversely, support, relationship and essential decision-making have been sustained through a creative blend of technology assisted communication and essential direct contact within public health protection guidelines. 4.487 Gender, age, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, culture including language, religion, and economic status are all factors that should be considered in relation to risk and recovery. Assessment and development of plans to protect and support children, families and communities should (as with all areas of practice within this Guidance), be co‑ordinated as necessary and formed together with those involved, including children, their families, communities and local child protection agencies. Resources and References – Disasters and public emergencies Historical (non-recent) reports of abuse 4.488 Definition. The term ‘historical abuse’, often referred to as non-recent abuse, refers to reports of neglect, emotional, physical and sexual abuse which took place before the victim was 16 (or 18, in particular circumstances) and which have been made after a significant time lapse. The complainant may be an adult, but could be a young person making reports of abuse in earlier childhood. The reports may relate to a person’s experience in the family home, community or while they were a looked after and accommodated child in a residential, kinship or foster care setting. 4.489 Coming forward. A person may share an account of historical abuse in the context of a therapeutic or counselling setting, within the statutory or Third Sector. Others may report historical abuse directly to the police, social work services, health or education. It is possible that the person reporting historical abuse may not be a direct service user but a parent/carer, partner or other family member of a person accessing these services. People reporting historical abuse may state that the perpetrator is deceased, suggesting that there are no current child protection concerns. However, they may still want to be advised that they can share information with Police Scotland to make a report to allow them to consider information further ( Adult Survivors of Child Abuse, Police Scotland) .

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