Child Protection Guidance 2021

Part 2B: Approach to multi-agency assessment in child protection 82 National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2021 Version 1.0 September 2021 BRIDGES (what supports us) CLIFFS and WALLS (barriers to support) when you take time to get to know us when we are afraid to ask for help because we fear you will say we cannot cope… when you give help when we look for it when workers prejudge us when you try to understand why we feel as we do, what we are struggling with, and what help we need when home visits are scary rather than helpful when you work in relationship with us when workers seem distant, cold and uncaring … we react to this… when advocacy helps us understand processes and concerns when it takes a crisis to get a response when different agencies work together to provide help when agencies involved in child protection are not communicating with each other when you are honest about concerns and actions when we do not understand concerns or what is happening when information is accessible , and given in a way each parent can understand when you do not share concerns clearly when you listen and realise that every family is different, every parent is different, every child is different when ‘easy read’ is not honest about what could happen when the reasons for meetings are shared and agreed, plans for meetings are made in plenty of time, and meetings are structured so that we are supported, heard and respected when social workers writing assessments do not know the child, the parents or the wider family when you think about the whole family when you fail to build on our strengths and strengths in the family when support is provided early (for example, early in pregnancy) and lasts for as long as needed when your training or supervision or experience has not given you enough knowledge and awareness of learning disabilities when workers use consistent standards of good practice with parents with learning disabilities when advocacy for parents or children is not available when we need it, or when our children need it when plans are clear and step-by-step when support is short-term or only in crisis real child protection is making sure we are supported so that our children can be supported when you do not recognise what we want to give our children