Question reference: S6W-13008
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 9 December 2022
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Current status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 9 January 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the planned action in its Bairns’ Hoose project plan to "engage with key stakeholders to identify the potential number of Bairns' Hoose' required to ensure access for all children in line with our Programme for Government commitment", whether it has carried out this work, and, if so, what the required number is.
Answer
Scottish Government officials, in conjunction with the Chair of the National Bairns’ Hoose Governance Group, have carried out extensive engagement with key partners from across children’s services, health, justice, and the third sector. This includes Chief Officers’ Public Protection Groups (COGs), who will play a key role in the delivery of Bairns’ Hoose.
We are currently working with our partners to develop a phased approach to implementation of Bairns’ Hoose across Scotland, with a Pathfinder phase beginning in 2023. We will publish further information on our plans for delivery in the coming months.
The design and delivery of Bairns’ Hoose will be between partners at a local level and though local structures. It is anticipated that COGs will collaborate regionally, according to their needs and proximity to local resources, to identify the number of Bairns’ Hooses required in their area.
Bairns’ Hooses will build on the Scottish Child Interview Model for Joint Investigative Interviews, which is being introduced nationally from 2021 to 2024 and will be seen as the ‘justice room’ of the Bairns’ Hoose.