Martin Whitfield

29 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many staffing vacancies are currently unfilled within Disclosure Scotland.

Answer · Natalie Don: I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows: There are 13 staffing vacancies currently unfilled within Disclosure Scotland.

29 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many members of staff were employed by Disclosure Scotland in each year since 2012.

Answer · Natalie Don: I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows: Table: The headcount of staff at Disclosure Scotland as of 31 March for the years requested. Year Staff headcount 2012 290 2013 315 2014 336 201…

27 Feb 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the EIS and other teacher unions to discuss school-based violence.

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its review of the statutory basis for community learning and development, including how it aims to strengthen provision and provide greater financial protection for its delivery.

Answer · Graeme Dey: An independent review of Community Learning and Development (CLD) was launched in December 2023 and is expected to conclude in June 2024. This review aims to assess the impact of CLD on learners across Scotland and is likely to consider the regulatory framewo…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support and resources are available for parents who choose to educate their children at home.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Parents/guardians who make the choice to home educate take on full responsibility for providing a suitable and efficient education for their child(ren) in place of the local education authority. Scottish Ministers encourage local authorities and parents to w…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what data is collected and maintained regarding child protection concerns and interventions.

Answer · Natalie Don: At the present time, the Scottish Government collects and maintains data annually in respect of Child Protection in Scotland. This data is collected and published as part of the annual Children’s Social Work Statistics Official Statistics publication. Each …

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it (a) monitors and (b) regulates home education to ensure that such children (i) receive a suitable education and (ii) are adequately protected.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-25783 on 11 March 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committee…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what initiatives are in place to promote early intervention and prevention of child abuse and neglect.

Answer · Natalie Don: Child abuse and neglect have significant detrimental effects on children and young people’s emotional, physical and mental health, social development, education and future employment. Scotland’s approach to child protection is set within the “Getting It Righ…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support professionals and volunteers working in child protection roles to ensure that they have the necessary resources and support.

Answer · Natalie Don: The Scottish Government is committed to making sure that the necessary resources and support are available for professionals and volunteers working in child protection roles. We are working with partners and the workforce who support children and families to…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to address any existing financial barriers or challenges faced by youth workers and community-based youth services in delivering effective support to children and young people.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government utilises a Block Grant system, affording local authorities significant autonomy in allocating financial resources, including those designated for youth work. This approach empowers councils to prioritise local needs and tailor services…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many young people are currently educated at home in Scotland.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of children and young people who are home educating in Scotland.  

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will engage with children and young people in developing and reviewing child protection policies and services.

Answer · Natalie Don: The Scottish Government aims to engage with children and young people wherever appropriate during the development and review of child protection policies and services. Throughout the recently updated , national-guidance-child-protection-scotland-2021-update…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how children’s rights and their voices are taken into account in decisions related to home education, including to ensure that such children are adequately protected.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: In line with the Scottish Government home education guidance , choosing to home educate in itself should not be seen as a child protection concern, and local authorities should not treat it as such. The guidance encourages an annual meeting between home edu…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it can provide on how much funding it has (a) allocated and (b) distributed for community-based youth services to each local authority since 2016.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Community youth work remains an important pillar of local authority provision. The Scottish Government utilises a Block Grant system, affording local authorities significant autonomy in allocating financial resources, including those designated for youth work…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in implementing the National Guidance for Child Protection.

Answer · Natalie Don: Good progress is being made in implementing the national-guidance-child-protection-scotland-2021-updated-2023.pdf (www.gov.scot) , which was published in 2021 and updated in 2023. A National Child Protection Guidance Implementation Group was established in…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children who are educated at home.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Local authorities hold responsibility for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children being home educated, and that the education they are receiving is suitable for their age and ability. In line with the Scottish Government's home education guidance, it is…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to ensure the long-term sustainability and resilience of community-based youth services beyond the immediate recovery period from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Graeme Dey: An independent review of Community Learning and Development (CLD), was launched in December 2023 and is expected to conclude in June 2024. This review aims to assess the impact of CLD on learners across Scotland which will provide valuable insights for the de…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to prevent child sexual exploitation and online grooming.

Answer · Natalie Don: Keeping children safe from child sexual abuse and exploitation, including online abuse, is a key priority for the Scottish Government. We are committed to ensuring that our young people are safe online and our response is multi-faceted. It involves equipping…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it supports children and families that are affected by domestic abuse.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: Our Equally Safe strategy, Scotland’s strategy to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls, acknowledges the significant impact domestic abuse and other forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) can have on children and young people and t…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the needs of children and young people are taken into consideration during the disclosure process to ensure their safety and wellbeing.

Answer · Natalie Don: I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows: Disclosure Scotland work closely with organisations regarding supporting children and young people with information on the disclosure processes. This is …

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what initiatives are in place to raise awareness among children and young people about their rights and responsibilities regarding disclosure and safeguarding.

Answer · Natalie Don: I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows: Disclosure Scotland leads the Scotland Works for You group. The group includes organisations from the public, private and third sector to improve access …

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many disclosure checks have been processed by Disclosure Scotland in each year since 2016.

Answer · Natalie Don: I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows: The following table details processed disclosure applications, by application type, from 2016 to 2023:  2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 …

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will collaborate with relevant agencies and organisations to ensure that disclosure processes are effective in safeguarding children and young people.

Answer · Natalie Don: I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows: Disclosure Scotland run regular training courses aimed at organisations who work with children and young people and cover a range of topics regarding saf…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what training and guidance are provided to professionals who work with children and young people regarding the disclosure process and safeguarding procedures.

Answer · Natalie Don: I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows: Disclosure Scotland run regular training courses aimed at organisations who work with children and young people and cover a range of topics regarding saf…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that Disclosure Scotland processes checks efficiently while maintaining accuracy and thoroughness.

Answer · Natalie Don: I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows: Disclosure Scotland is focused on providing reliable safeguarding outcomes for the public. It plans and regularly reviews service delivery performance to…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average length of time between a disclosure check application being received by Disclosure Scotland and the provision of disclosure information was in each year since 2016.

Answer · Natalie Don: I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows: The following table details average number of days to process disclosure applications, by application type, from 2016 to 2023:  2016 2017 2018 2019 …

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that disclosure processes are accessible and understandable for children and young people, including those (a) from diverse backgrounds and (b) with additional support needs.

Answer · Natalie Don: I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows: Disclosure Scotland’s current forms of guidance are primarily available online as either informative webpages or downloadable documents. Where possible, …

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support and resources are available to children and young people who are affected by disclosure processes, particularly in cases involving sensitive information or past trauma.

Answer · Natalie Don: I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows: Disclosure Scotland work closely with organisations regarding supporting children and young people with information on the disclosure processes. This is …

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that children and young people who have experienced trauma or adverse childhood experiences are provided with appropriate support and guidance during the disclosure process.

Answer · Natalie Don: I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows: Disclosure Scotland has reviewed its letters, in connection with the consideration for listing (barring) process, to ensure they are written in Plain Eng…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to prevent the misuse or mishandling of disclosure information that could potentially harm children and young people.

Answer · Natalie Don: I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows: Higher level disclosures, those that can include the most sensitive information, can only be provided to organisations registered with Disclosure Scotlan…