Question reference: S4W-00124
- Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
- Date lodged: 18 May 2011
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Current status: Answered by Angela Constance on 31 May 2011
Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made on the commitments set out in the 2003 guidance, Vulnerable Children and Young People: Sexual Exploitation Through Prostitution, and what actions remain outstanding.
Answer
The commitments within the 2003 guidance were made by a former administration. The 2003 guidance has since been superseded by the new National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland, which was published on 13 December 2010. This followed a major consultation and comprehensive review of child protection procedures in Scotland. The issues raised in 2003 – online safety, runaways, systematic and complex abuse – are now covered separately and in significant detail, as well as other issues relating to sexual exploitation not mentioned in 2003, such as child trafficking. The Scottish Government will continue to monitor the nature of these risks and will take action, including commissioning research as appropriate.