Author of Scottish child protection report concerned about delays
The author of a report has slammed the Scottish Government for failing to implement its recommendations on child protection despite fully endorsing it when first published.
Jackie Brock published The Brock Report: Safeguarding Scotland’s vulnerable children from child abuse last November with its recommendations accepted in full by the then Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Mike Russell.
Since then, however, the Children in Scotland chief executive says that other than plans for a summit there is little or no other activity underway to address the report’s recommendations.
In particular, the Brock report called for "a spotlight on those children and young people who are currently on the radar of children’s services because of neglect or risky behaviour but who are not subject to formal and statutory measures, such as child protection".
The report highlighted the sprawling landscape of national and local strategies that tackle aspects of child neglect but fail to identify effective means of investing in preventing harm to vulnerable children and young people.
The safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a priority for the Scottish Government
It made a number of recommendations to help ensure Scotland’s child protection system, and the workforce itself, is properly supported to identify, early on, those children who are at risk and raise the alarm.
Brock said: “We were pleased that the then cabinet secretary accepted the report’s recommendations, and hope that this summit is not a one-off and that progress will begin in advance of the summit and continue thereafter.”
The Scottish Government has published a national action plan to tackle child sexual exploitation.
A spokeswoman said: "The safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a priority for the Scottish Government and an issue we take extremely seriously. That's why we work continuously with law enforcement, children's charities, Parliament and others to protect children from abuse and target those who attempt to prey on them.
"The commissioning of the Jackie Brock report was one of a number of steps to protect our children.
"In the two months since this report was published we have been working hard with our partners to continue strengthening child protection policies, are convening a National Strategic Leadership Summit on Child Wellbeing and taking forward the commitments in the wide ranging national action plan on child sexual exploitation that we published in November to safeguard young people at risk."
