Questions · Karen Whitefield

3 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to develop a single nationally accredited system of training and independent monitoring for the teaching and other staff of secure units for young people to ensure consistency across units.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The training and regulation of staff of secure care services, including teaching staff, is a matter for the General Teaching Council, Her Majesty''s Inspectorate of Education, the Care Commission and the Scottish Social Services Council.

3 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to produce national guidance to aid consistency in relation to the use of physical intervention and restraint in secure units for young people, including guidance for the relevant young people on the circumstances in which physical intervention and restraint may be necess…

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government has asked the Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care to work with secure care providers and partners to consider strengthening the current guidelines and standards on the use of restraint and other associated measures.

3 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to ensure that secure units for young people have a clearly designated quiet room for time-out purposes and that all staff are trained in the different uses of quiet rooms compared with other interventions.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Some secure care services have clearly designated quiet rooms. However, it would not be appropriate or practical for all services to have them. Where time out is necessary, existing rooms “ including young people''s bedrooms “ can be used for this purpose. Th…

3 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to produce national guidance to aid consistency in the use of single separation in secure units for young people.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The use of single separation should be covered within existing guidance for care staff and all incidences of single separation should be recorded. These records are monitored during inspections by the Care Commission. In addition, I refer the member…

3 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure a consistent approach across secure units to consulting the young people in their care and involving them in the development of their care plans.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Local authorities have a duty to make a care plan for all their looked after children, including young people in secure care. This is monitored as part of inspection. The forthcoming Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009 seek to ensure that the yo…

3 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to ensure that young people in secure units have the opportunity to speak to an independent advocate.

Answer · Adam Ingram: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24549 on 12 June 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/B…

3 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure that young people in secure care have access to independent information and advice.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The national care standards require young people to have access to other agencies and services including advocacy. Young people in secure care have access to Who Cares? Scotland staff, children''s rights officers or other independent advocacy organisations, i…

3 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to develop an information pack for distribution to young people entering secure units.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government has funded two booklets on children''s rights for children and young people being looked after away from home, one specifically aimed at those in secure care. These booklets are being used as part of a package of information local auth…

3 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure that young people entering secure units have a clear understanding of the secure care system.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The national care standards set out the standard of care that a young person can expect from any care service including secure care. They require the young person to have up-to-date information on the care home, and staff are expected to explain responsibilit…

3 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to produce national guidance to ensure consistency in approach, values and practices of secure units for young people.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The national care standards set out the standard of care that a young person can expect from any care service including secure care. They aim to ensure a consistent standard of service provision and are underpinned by a set of values care providers are expect…