Child Protection

1 Introduction Our Vision Our Approach The Delivering for Children & Young People’s The Plan embeds local Community Planning Partnership (DCYPP) directs the strategic Partnership principles including planning for planning, development and delivery of children Place; sustainability, fair and equitable public and young people’s services on behalf of the services; prevention and early intervention; and East Dunbartonshire Community Planning coproduction and engagement. We recognise Partnership (DCYPP structure found on page the need for excellent universal services that 15). The DCYPP’s vision is that: build resilience and provide important ‘all partners will work together with protective factors for all children and young communities and families to ensure people and we will do all we can to strengthen children and young people have the best support for families and communities to meet start in life, are confident, healthy, their needs. resilient, live in positive and inclusive Addressing inequalities through targeted communities and free from disadvantage.’ interventions is central to achieving our vision To achieve this we place children, young in order to mitigate the impact and improve people and families at the heart of all our outcomes for our most disadvantaged children, services and provide support when it is needed young people and their families. We recognise throughout childhood and the transition to the need to provide help and/or support as adulthood. quickly as possible, from services that are responsive, appropriate, proportionate and accessible. Partners are developing measures to assess our performance in achieving meaningful outcomes for children and young people. this will also assist in assessing progress against our shared outcomes. Key to measuring our progress will involve getting feedback from children, young people and their families about how well we are doing in meeting their needs. Our Plan Local Outcome This Plan sets out how we will work together to Improvement Plan plan, develop and provide services over the next three years (April 2017 to March 2020) East Dunbartonshire Community Planning that will: Partnership is required to produce and publish, . best safeguard, support and promote by October 2017, a Local Outcomes wellbeing; Improvement Plan (LOIP) setting out clear . make sure that children, young people and priorities for improving local outcomes and on families get the right support at the right tackling inequalities. The DCYPP is the time; mechanism for delivering on Local Outcome 3 . take action to prevent and meet need; ‘Our children and young people live in a safe . be integrated from the point of view of and accessible environment where they are service users; ready to learn and physical and mental health . constitute the best use of available and wellbeing is maximised’. resources. 3 Population Profile cont... Overall East Dunbartonshire performs Demographics significantly better than the National average in relation to the following data, although there East Dunbartonshire is recognised as one are significant variations in certain datazones: of the best places to live in Scotland in terms of health outcomes, educational 7.6% of working age population claim Out attainment and levels of employment. of Work Benefits - significant variation showing 14.1% Auchinairn, 15.3% The overall population is predicted to Harestanes and 23.8% Hillhead (DWP decrease by 7% by 2037. 2014). 7.8% living in poverty - significant variation The number of children under the age of 16 showing 28.6% in Hillhead (HMRC 2012). years is predicted to fall by 1%, from 17% to 16% of the area’s total population by 7.7% of the population Income Deprived - 20137. significant variation showing 16.3% in Auchinairn, 16.4% in Harestanes and Almost 18% of children aged up to 15 years 24.1% in Hillhead (SIMD, Scottish are living in our three most deprived Government 2014). datazones. This means a significant 8.2% of working age population percentage of children are living in areas of Employment Deprived - significant variation multiple deprivation, with poor economic showing 14.2% in Auchinairn, 14.7% activity and lower life expectancy. Twechar & Harestanes East, 15.8% in Harestanes and 22.1% in Hillhead (SIMD, Scottish Government 2014). 11.1% of mothers smoking during pregnancy - significant variation showing 37% in Hillhead (ISD Scotland, 3year aggregates 2012/13 – 2014/15). 32.6% of babies exclusively breastfed at 6- 8 weeks - significant variation showing 13.2% in Hillhead (ISD Scotland). Place Communities The overall positive performance can hide the inequality gaps which exist between Educational Attainment communities Eight of the 127 data zones are in the 25% Secondary schools SQA examinations are most deprived in Scotland. among the highest passes in Scotland and 96% of school leavers going onto positive Five of the 8 form a cluster around Hillhead, destinations. with two of the data zones falling within the most deprived 5% in Scotland. 60.9% go to university, 16.3% college, 16.6% employment and 2.2% training. Lennoxtown and Auchinairn each have one datazone which falls into the 25% most Audit Scotland (2014) acknowledged East deprived in Scotland. Dunbartonshire as the best performing authority for the lowest 20% in relation to outcomes. 3 Population Profile cont... During the period 2013/14 to 2015/16: Secondary Schools Health & there was a slight decrease in the number of children on the Child Protection Register; Wellbeing Survey (2014/15) A full copy of the survey can be found at: the number of children who were Looked http://www.nhsggc.org.uk/media/237007/ After remained relatively stable with a slight nhsggc_ph_east_dunbartonshire_schools increase overall; _health_wellbeing_survey_2014-15.pdf there has been a significant increase in the Overall, the survey found that young people number of children being referred to Social are adopting positive, healthy behaviours. Work Services, experiencing 40% increase in referrals to the social work duty service; 87% clean their teeth twice a day or more; the number of child protection 84% visited the dentist in the previous six investigations remained steady at around month period; 170 per annum; 83% received sexual health and Non-engaging families was the most relationships education at school; common area of concern alongside neglect, 56% never drink alcohol; domestic violence and parental alcohol 52% walk or cycle to school; misuse. However, there has also been a 48% eat five or more portions of fruit or sharp rise in parental mental health being vegetables in a day; identified as a significant concern; 44% meet the physical activity target of 60 The number of children who are looked minutes or more of moderate physical after by the local authority has stayed at a activity on five or more days per week; consistent level over the past three years of around 160 with a slight overall increase of 31% have nine or more hours of sleep per around 5%. night; and 75% expect to go on to further education or During 2015/2016 specifically: training. 140 of our children and young people were The survey revealed a number of negative referred to the Children's Reporters; characteristics. In the past year: Lack of parental care was the single most 54% reported being exposed to common ground of referral; environmental tobacco smoke; Police were the main referrer to the 8% are current smokers Children’s Reporter; 12% had taken illegal drugs 85% of referrals were on non-offence 50% engaged in anti-social or risk-taking grounds. The remaining 15% were on behaviours; offence grounds. The offences were 22% had been bullied; committed in the main by young males aged between13 and 14 years; 18% have more than eight hours of screen based activity on a school day; and Of the total 160 Looked After children, 125 children were subject to a Compulsory 15% experienced bullying of others. Supervision Order either at home or away from home and the majority of the Child Protection remaining were Looked After on a voluntary East Dunbartonshire continues to work with a basis. significant number of children in need of care and protection. 4 Our Children & Young People are SAFE Our Approach What we will do We are committed to ensuring that all of East Continue to deliver guidance on a range of Dunbartonshire’s children and young people practice areas as well as single and multi- are protected from abuse, neglect and harm agency training for those working with wherever that may occur. We aim to further children and young people for example embed an outcome focussed approach to volunteers, teachers, relevant third sector assessment and planning into practice, organisations staff, health visitors and other ensuring risk assessment and risk health and social care staff. management processes are a key feature of Improve single and multi-agency our approach. frameworks for assessment, planning, review and risk management. Improvement Objectives Review early intervention screening groups . Developments in all areas of Child for: unborn babies; domestic abuse; young Protection will reflect the vision of the people who offend. National Child Protection Improvement Programme and any future guidance. Address the needs of children and young . The views of stakeholders are used in the people and their families affected by issues development, review and delivery of of mental ill-health and/or addiction. services supported by a comprehensive Develop robust approaches for gathering quality assurance framework. the views of families, children and young . Staff across all agencies will have improved people involved in Child Protection skills and knowledge required to make early processes in order to make improvements, identification of children and young people where necessary. affected by neglect. Review the information provided to families, . Children and young people have the children and young people and the wider knowledge and skills to keep safe. community to keep children safe and . The public understands how to keep protected.

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