Dumfries and Galloway Public Protection Partnership Newsletter - Issue 9

All the latest updates from the Dumfries and Galloway Public Protection Partnership

Welcome to the first newsletter from the Public Protection Partnership in 2023. We aim to keep you updated with the latest news in the public protection arena – thank you to all our partners for their contributions. The 9th edition of the DGPPP newsletter features a special article about Public Protection week in 2023.

As a multi-agency group, we are responsible for the oversight development and delivery of services to the most vulnerable children and adults who are at risk of or experiencing harm. If you have a question relating to any of the content you read today, please reach-out to the team using one of the contact methods at the end of the newsletter.

Public Protection Week 2023

Public Protection week was successfully held from Monday 13 to Friday 17 February 2023 and consisted of 12 online events and one in person event. With themes across child protection, adult support and protection and violence against women and girls, there were over 300 attendees for the online events – including an event called “Signpost to Safety” from Scottish Fire & Rescue Service and "Neglect” from NHS Scotland. The in-person event we had was held at HMP Dumfries. Excitingly we were able to include BSL (British Sign Language) for three of our events this year and BSL interpretation featured during "SARC", "ASP Level 2 training" and "Signs of Safety webinar". Our aim for next year is to have all our events include BSL sign language which makes them accessible to the deaf community or those who have hearing loss.

Our event called "Signs of Safety" gave the audience a real-life case study and we are keen to bring more lived experience examples to show case the difference our partners make to the lives of others.

Moreover, we ran a successful social media campaign during Public Protection Week on the Council’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

• Day one’s theme was the 5 Rs, (Recognise, Respond, Report, Record and Reflect).
• Day two’s theme was violence against woman and girls.
• Day three’s theme was adult support and protection.
• Day four’s theme was child protection.
• Day five’s theme was drug and alcohol addiction.

On February 20, the theme was National Adult Support & Protection Day. Communications were issued that included information about adult support protection (ASP) day, a 7-minute briefing on neglect and self-neglect, and a national video on neglect and self-neglect. The Communication Strategy (2023-2025) and the Engagement Strategy (2023-2025) were also launched on this date – as was the “How to report concerns about an adult (AP1)” form.

Click here to read our Communication Strategy (2023-2025).

Click here to read our Engagement Strategy (2023-2025).

Click here to read "How to report concerns about an adult (AP1)".

Download the AP1 form here

During Public Protection week we had a stall at Mountainhall in Dumfries. This helped raise awareness during Public Protection Week and there were lanyards, pens, leaflets, and other information from a variety of agencies across the partnership, including Rape Crisis, Women’s Aid and ADP (Alcohol and Drug Partnership).     

2024 Public Protection Week

We will start reaching out to our partners for interest in being involved during Public Protection week 2024 in the coming weeks and start our regular catch up meetings in planning the week from September 2023. 

ASP Roundtable Event on National Learning at Scottish Parliament

A round table event took place on Wednesday 22 March 2023 at the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh. This event followed the publication of the Care Inspectorate Triennial Review of Initial Case Review /Significant Case Reviews in Scotland and was led by Kevin Stewart MSP, Minister for Wellbeing and Social Care. The full review can be found here

The program featured a keynote presentation from the Care Inspectorate who provided an overview of the key themes and findings of the Triennial Review. These themes were:

• Neglect and Self Neglect
• Legal Literacy (ASP / AWI interface)
• Involving individuals in the SCR / Learning Review process

Hamish McGhie Independent Chair of the Public Protection Committee and Sandie Donald, Lead Officer Public Protection (ASP) were delighted to be invited to speak to local practice experience on the topic of Neglect and Self Neglect in Dumfries and Galloway.

The afternoon provided opportunity for breakout discussions and a whole room discussion with reflection panel, including Iain Ramsay (Chair ASP National Implementation Group). Brenda Walker (National ASP Coordinator ), Caroline Doherty (CI) Colin McCracken (CI). Jennifer Rezendes (Social Work Scotland) and Ruth Meyer (Scottish Government – National Care Services, Data & Digital).

The event provided an opportunity to share and learn from best practice nationally and will inform priorities in Adult Support and Protection development and Learning Reviews both nationally and locally.

Local Update on the Implementation of National Child Protection Guidance

Dumfries & Galloway Child Protection Guidance Implementation Group have continued to meet on a monthly basis since the last update in August 2022. The group has reflected on the principles on the National Child Protection (Scotland) Guidance 2021 and ensure these aligned with processes. This exercise highlighted that the principles are the golden thread, the values and practice that should be underpinned at each and every stage. The quality assurance aspect will be brought in once the processes have been established, post implementation, via self-evaluation and auditing.

It was also noted that the principles correspond with the themes which the Care Inspectorate are looking for, so the current Multi-Agency Child Protection self-evaluation activity will provide an additional opportunity to identify gaps prior to implementation.

Achievements since August 2022:

1. As a further development of the local implementation of the revised National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2021, it was agreed via the CP Guidance Implementation group to amend the children & families Child Protection Registration details form on social work IT systems (Mosaic), to distinguish between the abuse and impact on the child and vulnerability factors. This also aligns with Version 2 on the CP Minimum Dataset.

The background, purpose and why this matters was incorporated into a 7-minute briefing which was communicated across the partnership and went live on 1 November 2022.

2. The National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2021 states the protection of children and young people includes unborn babies, and children and young people under the age of 18 years.

Therefore, as of 1 November 2022, all referrals to social work services for children and young people under the age of 18 years will be routed through children & families social work and any 16 to 17 year old needing a safeguarding response will be discussed at Child MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub).

As highlighted, the reason for this change to process is in recognition of the changing legal and policy frameworks for this age group where young people under the age of 18 years are increasingly being considered as children. It is also based on a children’s rights, and trauma informed approach to providing social work services and our developing understanding and appreciation of child and brain development.

3. The November 2022 meeting allowed members of the CP Guidance Implementation group to reflect on the Implementation plan which was agreed and presented to PPC in December 2021. This facilitated tracking of the implementation, and establishing what work is ongoing. This provides a better position to evidence what has been achieved, and an opportunity to do checks and balances.

The discussion focussed on Part 3 of the National Guidance which is about child protection processes, including consideration, assessment, planning, and action required and how we evidence these areas are/have been progressed and link with other plans/pathways/guidance.

The Implementation Plan has been amended to be more specific, outlining how each stage links to other workstreams.

Next steps...

At the CP Guidance Implementation group meeting in January 2023, it was agreed to start pulling all the information from the various workstreams together and start drafting the local guidance. A writing review group has been established.

Regular updates of local progress of implementation will be provided via the PP Newsletter for your information.

New Service ASSIST Aims to Support Dumfries and Galloway Victims of Domestic Abuse

Currently providing service to victims from Kirkcudbrightshire and Wigtownshire, ASSIST (Advocacy, Support, Safety, Information Services Together) is being rolled out to the remainder of Dumfries and Galloway by June. 

This development means that all victims of domestic abuse in the West of Scotland with cases progressing through criminal court will have the opportunity to be referred for support. The service is offered by police at the time of the incident, but any professional can make a referral to ASSIST at any stage in the court proceedings with the victims consent. Please contact ASSIST directly to request a referral form by emailing assistVdiv@glasgow.gov.uk

ASSIST works alongside other agencies, both statutory and third sector to increase the safety of victims and their children.

ASSIST also support victims who have been referred to MARAC (multi-agency risk assessment conference) which addresses the safety needs of the highest risk victims and their children.

Fiona McMullen, ASSIST Operations Manager said: “We are delighted to be expanding across Dumfries and Galloway. We know that the journey through the criminal justice system can be complex, confusing and at times distressing for victims and their children and the support of a trusted advocate is invaluable in helping them to navigate this.”

Continual Professional Development

The Public Protection Committee is invested in making sure partners and their staff have the correct training so that they can feel confident in the areas of adult protection, child protection and violence against women and girls.

The PPC recently launched a new webpage called Resources for Professionals that includes resources for continual professional development (CPD), wellbeing, and acronyms.

Resources in this page include the free training launched for third sector organisations across Dumfries and Galloway by Third Sector D&G. Their 46 online training events are in the categories of business development, governance, funding, and volunteering. Returning this year are the popular opportunities to meet both national and local funders, featuring The National Lottery Community Fund, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Robertson Trust, The Holywood Trust, Scottish Land Fund, Foundation Scotland, and Firstport. Places are limited so staff, trustees, and volunteers working in the third sector are urged to book as soon as possible for topics of interest. To view our free training resources, click here

If you have any ideas of content you would like to see on the PPC website linked to its aims and purpose, email: publicprotection@dumgal.gov.uk

Social Work Out-of-Hours Service (OOH)

The OOH Standby Service in the west was excitedly launched on 31 March 2023. This brings together Social Work colleagues in the west of the region responding to emergency situations over the weekends. This expansion allows the service to pull on resources where necessary to keep vulnerable children and adults safe. What type of issues can the OOH Social Work Team deal with? Child protection concerns. General concerns about children and young people. Adult protection concerns. Vulnerable older people. Mental health concerns. If you would like to hear more about their service, email socialworkoutofhours@dumgal.gov.uk

Need quick access to a third sector organisation in Dumfries and Galloway?

Using DG Locator by Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway (TSDG) is a quick way to see the services provided by third sector organisations across Dumfries and Galloway. The information is free to access on their website and/or mobile app.

For further information and to access their webpage click here

Do you have a news story that you think would be great for our next newsletter? Any queries relating to any of the content you have read today? Email:publicprotection@dumgal.gov.uk