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Welcome to the tenth edition of the DG Public Protection Partnership newsletter. We aim to keep you updated with the latest news in the public protection arena – thank you to all our partners for their contributions. This edition features a special article about the new Men’s Session, launched by the Alcohol and Drug Support (ADS) Being There Service.
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.
Alcohol and Drug Support (ADS) Being There Service Launches New Men’s Session
The Being There Family Support service from (ADS) South West Scotland is a support service designed to help family members and friends of individuals who are suffering from issues around alcohol or drug use. Since its beginning most of the service users accessing support have been female, mirroring a trend which is seen right across Scotland in terms of the demographics accessing Family Support Services. However, both men and women are equally affected by the substance use of a family member, and men have just as much right to support for these issues as women do.
Professional Curiosity
It is important as practitioners in health and social care that we give due attention to professional curiosity for the protection of children, young people, and adults. Professional curiosity is taking control of a situation to try and understand what is happening for an individual or within a family, rather than making assumptions or accepting things at face value.
However, such an approach should not hide factors which could make professional curiosity challenging. This includes disguised compliance and explains a family member or carer giving the appearance of cooperating with practitioners to avoid raising suspicions, rule of optimism where practitioners might rationalise any new or escalating risks despite clear evidence to the contrary and knowing but not knowing, explaining a feeling of knowing that something isn’t right, but not knowing exactly what.
Therefore, practitioners should triangulate any information they receive and seek independent views from a range of sources or practitioners particularly when there are inconsistencies.
If you require any further support using professional curiosity you should seek advice from a manager or public protection advisor.
Criminal and Sexual Exploitation Briefing
Barnardo’s has written this briefing to inform about the risks of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) as a result of the cost-of-living crisis, and the added concern over the summer holiday period when children might be more vulnerable. The paper concludes with recommendations to the Scottish Government. The lack of understanding of CSE and CCE is highlighted in the briefing, as well as the complexities of exploitation and the difficulties in getting an accurate picture of this hidden harm.
Alcohol Awareness Week 3 – 9 July 2023
Dumfries and Galloway Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) joined over 5,000 community groups across the UK to raise awareness for Alcohol Awareness Week. Alcohol Awareness Week is a chance for the UK to get thinking about drinking. It is a week of awareness raising, campaigning for change, and more. It is managed and hosted by the charity Alcohol Change UK and ran from 3 to 9 July 2023.
Social Work Out-of-Hours Service (OOH)
Dumfries and Galloway Out-of-Hours Service is keen to raise awareness of the service to individuals and partners who contact them. The OOH team can attend team meetings to discuss the role of the OOH Service and what they do. To invite the team along, please email SocialWorkOutofHours@dumgal.gov.uk
Social Work and the OOH Service don't work in isolation. To ensure effective working with other OOH colleagues, the service held an open day in June.
Public Protection Partnership Introduces New Lead Clare Cowan
Clare Cowan has recently joined the Public Protection team taking up the post of Lead Officer Public Protection (Child Protection). Clare worked in Children & Families Social work for 19 years, spending the last seven years as a Senior Social Worker in the team. Clare is dedicated to supporting vulnerable children across Dumfries and Galloway, and is very much looking forward to working with colleagues in the Public Protection Partnership.
Public Protection Team Walking Challenge
Colleagues in the Public Protection Team had the opportunity to take part in a walking challenge for three weeks from Monday 5 June to Sunday 25 June. It took place during some of the hottest temperatures this year in Dumfries and Galloway, which represented ideal walking conditions.
Those who took part chose their target walking distance and updated their mile progress via Microsoft teams – allowing the opportunity to post and update photographic scenery throughout the challenge. Overall, the team achieved a staggering 795.61 miles over the three-week period.
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Become a Trainer for the Public Protection Partnership
We are not only passionate about providing valuable training through the multi-agency partnership, but also providing staff from partnership agencies the opportunity to be a trainer with us.
If you have an interest in volunteering to be a trainer with us, please email publicprotection@dumgal.gov.uk and we can discuss your experience and the time commitment involved.
 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?
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