Perth and Kinross child protection services hailed

One of the best child protection reports in Scotland over the past three years has been received by services in Perth and Kinross.

An external inspection of child services concluded that children in the area were very well protected.

A team of eight HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIe) inspectors assessed services and employees and reviewed case records between December and January.

The findings were published yesterday in the joint inspection of services to protect children and young people in the Perth and Kinross Council area report.

All aspects of child protection were assessed, from promoting child safety and early intervention work to long-term support for children.

Inspectors found the service’s vision, values and aims to be excellent, while 17 other “quality indicator” areas were either very good or good.

Council leader councillor Ian Miller said: “This is one of the best HMIe child protection inspections carried out in Scotland over the past three years and its positive content is welcomed by everyone.

“It demonstrates a high standard and pays tribute to the outstanding work being carried out on a daily basis by many services across the council including social work, schools, housing, the drug and alcohol team and the early years team, as well as by health, the police and the voluntary sector.

“I would like to thank everyone involved for their dedication and commitment to this important area of work.”

Council chief executive Bernadette Malone said all children had the right to grow up in a safe environment.

She added: “It’s everyone’s job to make sure our children are safe from harm.

“Our very strong and effective leadership, clear vision and integrated approach across all services, together with the importance placed on the delivery of child protection services by all partners, has contributed to this positive child protection inspection report.” Inspectors recommended staff improve recording of significant events in children’s lives in health and education files.

They should also work toward a “more integrated assessment of risk and needs across services” and ensure health staff are involved in key child protection processes.

Tayside Police Chief Constable Kevin Mathieson added there was no complacency among those delivering services.

He said: “All public services rely heavily on public trust and confidence, and protecting the most vulnerable is a critical element of maintaining that trust and confidence.”

Meanwhile, child protection services in Moray are bracing themselves for the arrival of government inspectors four months after a damning report which said they failed to protect vulnerable children.

An inspection team from HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) is due to arrive in Elgin on Monday.

Yesterday Moray Council’s depute convener Allan Wright said he was “100% confident” the inspection would bring positive results.

After the damning report was published, furious councillors called for an end to a “veil of secrecy” at the local authority which had stopped them from accessing details of it earlier.

An action plan was subsequently drawn up and submitted to the government watchdog. Inspectors will put that to the test.