Child Protection Guidance 2021

Part 2A: Roles and responsibilities for child protection 64 National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2021 Version 1.0 September 2021 Carers looking after children away from home 2.165 A carer looking after children away from home might be a foster carer (including local authority carers), a kinship carer, a residential worker within a children’s house, or a residential school practitioner. These carers can provide significant emotional and practical support to children who have experienced abuse, creating and maintaining a safe environment where the child feels valued and listened to. Carers looking after children away from home can provide pivotal support to the child via the Child Protection Plan, as well as particular insight into the child or young person’s needs through day-to-day care and interaction. All carers should apply safe caring policies and practices that minimise situations where abuse could occur. They must be advised about how to respond to any reports of abuse, and about how to work within the agreed local reporting arrangements within their area. For further information, see the section on children who are looked after away from home. Social housing 2.166 Housing and homelessness services (local authority and registered social landlords) are important contributors to intervening early and positively in the lives of children, young people and families who need support and assistance. Staff in these services can identify and coordinate a response to vulnerable families and young people, and may prevent their circumstances from deteriorating further. 2.167 When housing or homelessness staff sign up a family to a tenancy or visit a property for any reason they may identify early indications of family support needs, or evidence that actions are needed to protect children. Poor housing, homelessness and high mobility feature in a significant number of Case Reviews. To promote early support for vulnerable families, housing staff should have a good working knowledge of local services for children and families, and a thorough knowledge of child and adult protection procedures. 2.168 Social housing landlords should have policies, procedures and training in place to ensure they meet their responsibilities in relation to child and adult protection arrangements, working with local authority and NHS partners. 2.169 Social housing landlords also have a key role in the reintegration of people from prison into the community where they live in their tenancies, and the management of risk posed by individuals to others, for example through MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements). There is a key role for social housing landlords to be represented at Child Protection Committees where appropriate. Private landlords 2.170 Like social landlords, private landlords and letting agents may through their tenant engagement identify early indications of family support needs or evidence that actions are needed to protect children. It is therefore important that private landlords and letting agents have access to the right information and advice about reporting their concerns to appropriate authorities. Community safety services 2.171 A safe community is a community where people can live without fear, risk, harm or injury. Community safety is about building resilient, participatory communities where homes, roads, public spaces and the workplace are safe, and feel safe. Community safety encompasses home safety, road safety and water safety (together known as injury prevention), as well as community justice, counter-terrorism, child sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, online safety, and substance use.