Current status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 2 March 2006
To ask the First Minister what action across the relevant agencies is being considered to provide better protection for vulnerable young people and children.
Additional actions includeclear lines of accountability; proposals to introduce a duty on professionalsfor them to share information where this is required to protect children andyoung people and retraining front line professionals, including social workersin child protection.
Ministerial colleagues wroteto health, police and local authorities in 2003 seeking assurances that theChief Officers have reviewed child protection services in their area and weretaking any necessary action to improve those services. We will be writing againwithin the next week to make further progress with the work that is being done locally on childprotection, particularly in relation to children in substance misusingfamilies.