Karen Whitefield

23 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many central heating systems have been installed in the Airdrie and Shotts parliamentary constituency under the central heating programme in each year of the programme.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information is not held by parliamentary constituency area.</p>

19 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, for each consultant vacancy in NHS Lanarkshire, how long the post has been vacant, broken down by specialism.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22076 on 30 March 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/…

19 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultant posts there are in NHS Lanarkshire and how many are (a) vacant, (b) covered by a locum and (c) held by a permanent post holder, broken down by specialism.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information on consultant posts and vacancies, as at 30 September 2008, is published by Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland at <a href="http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5345.html">http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5345.html</a>. Information on vacancies i…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the meetings between the (a) Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, (b) Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, (c) Cabinet Secretary for Justice, (d) Minister for Children and Early Years, (e) Minister for Community Safety and (f) Minister for Pub…

Answer · Adam Ingram: While all ministers will discuss child protection issues with relevant bodies as appropriate, Adam Ingram, Minister for Children and Early Years, leads for the Scottish Government on engagement with Child Protection Committees (CPC). He met with all CPCs on 1…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a ministerial working group to consider the best interests of children at risk in relation to alcohol or drug misuse, as was the case under the previous administration.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Scottish Government''s approach to supporting children affected by parental substance misuse has moved on significantly since the publication of <i >Hidden Harm “ Next Steps</i> in May 2006. The 2008 national drugs strategy, <i >The Road to Recovery</i>, sets…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the meetings between ministers to discuss policy in relation to the protection of children at risk in relation to alcohol or drug misuse.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Ministers have met regularly together, and with partners such as local authorities and alcohol and drug action teams, to discuss policy around children at risk from parental alcohol and drug misuse in the development and implementation of the 2008 drug strate…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the meetings between the (a) Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, (b) Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, (c) Cabinet Secretary for Justice, (d) Minister for Children and Early Years, (e) Minister for Community Safety and (f) Minister for Pub…

Answer · Adam Ingram: Mr Ingram has met with local authorities to discuss child protection on the following occasions:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=139 valign=top > <p align=left >5 February 2008</p> </td> <td width=425 valign=top …

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, what action it has taken to expand the Scottish Drug Misuse Database to ensure that information on dependent children of drug-using parents is collected when clients present for trea…

Answer · Adam Ingram: The amount of information within the Scottish Drug Misuse Database on dependent children of drug using parents has expanded significantly since 2006.</p> <p >Data on individuals reporting to drug treatment services are collected by Information Services Divis…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, what plans it has to improve support for young people caring for parents with substance misuse problems.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government recognises the adverse effect that young caring can have on the social, emotional and mental development of children and young people. That is why Scottish ministers have made support for <i >all </i>young carers a priority. This inclu…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, whether it will implement an integrated assessment, planning and recording framework across all areas and agencies.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The guide to <i>Getting it right for every child,</i> issued in September 2008, gives further guidance on a common approach for agencies to assessing children''s risks and needs based on shared language and using the results of assessment and analysis to deve…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, whether it plans to introduce legislation to place a duty on agencies to identify the needs of children for whom they have a responsibility, including those of drug-using parents, an…

Answer · Adam Ingram: Under the Scottish Government''s approach to <i>Getting it right for every child</i> we are developing practical methods of identifying and assessing children''s risks and needs, including children affected by parental substance misuse, in pathfinder projects…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, what progress has been made in developing a model of integrated assessment that ensures that the needs of children of substance-misusing parents are identified at the earliest opport…

Answer · Adam Ingram: One of the key actions identified in <i>The Road to Recovery: a New Approach to Tackling Scotland''s Drug Problem</i> was to Support sharing and embedding of good practice around single and inter-agency assessment of and planning for children. That has been t…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, what action it is taking to promote a greater understanding and recognition by children and adolescent mental health services that mental health issues for children are often linked …

Answer · Shona Robison: Children of parents with substance misuse problems will most likely be identified by adult health services dealing with the parents, who will in turn alert Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) if and when input from them is required. The childr…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, what action it has taken to work with NHS boards to require healthcare professionals to collect information about dependent children of substance abusers.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government, in conjunction with NHS employers, will be reviewing the mechanisms by which healthcare professionals collect information about dependent children of substance abusers. Further information will be made available in due course.</p> <p…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, what plans it has to invest in workforce development across the network of children’s services to enhance capacity for recognising, understanding and addressing mental health issues …

Answer · Adam Ingram: Scottish Government is working with NHS boards and other partners to deliver the objectives set out in the <i >Mental Health of Children and Young People: A Framework for Promotion, Prevention and Care</i>; <i >Delivering a Healthy Future Action Framework</i>…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, how it will continue to encourage agencies, including those whose primary focus is on adults, to make sure that their staff have access to appropriate training, including multi-agenc…

Answer · Adam Ingram: The 2008 national drugs strategy, <i >The Road To Recovery</i>, sets out the Scottish Government''s approach to working with agencies and key stakeholders to support children affected by parental substance misuse. The strategy highlighted workforce developmen…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, what action it has taken actively to promote partnerships between local statutory agencies and voluntary organisations.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Together with COSLA, we are currently finalising a new framework for local partnerships on alcohol and drugs that will clearly set out the responsibilities of the Scottish Government and local government, NHS boards, agencies and partnerships, and the account…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, what action it has taken to ensure that alcohol and drug action teams and child protection committees have in place local protocols and policies for joint working across agencies in …

Answer · Adam Ingram: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21953 on 27 March 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/webapp…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, how it will ensure that there is consistency of support and information sharing in the key transitional years between primary and secondary school.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Education (Additional Support for Learning)(Scotland) Act 2004 and the Additional Support for Learning (Changes in School Education)(Scotland) Regulations 2005 require education authorities to take specific action to help children with additional support …

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, what action it has taken to improve the contact and communication between vulnerable families and school authorities so that issues around vulnerable children can be discussed in tru…

Answer · Adam Ingram: There are a number of different strands of work which support the improvement of contact and communication between vulnerable families and school authorities.</p> <p >The Parental Involvement Act 2006 places a duty on education authorities to draw up a stra…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, how it plans to promote services that provide accessible and timely support for vulnerable children and young people, including facilities that allow them to access direct help for t…

Answer · Adam Ingram: <i >Getting it right for every child</i> is the Scottish Government''s policy for addressing the needs of all children, and the underpinning philosophy of our approach to supporting children and young people affected by parental substance misuse. <i >Getting …

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, what action has been taken to ensure that local authorities make appropriate arrangements to identify children who may have additional support needs, as required under the Education …

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Education (Additional Support for Learning)(Scotland) Act 2004 (the 2004 act) and its associated code of practice set out the duties and responsibilities of local authorities and other agencies in identifying and meeting the additional support needs of Sc…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, how it will ensure that, where children’s needs are best met by removing them from their birth families, local agencies make the relevant decisions appropriately and that permanent p…

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government places a great importance on improving the experience of our Looked After Children, from the moment that they come to the attention of the local authority through to the permanent placement which is most suitable for them.</p> <p >Th…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, how it intends to ensure that protocols are developed and implemented that will alert health visitors and social workers to the needs of mothers and children as well as those of wide…

Answer · Shona Robison: The need for greater, shared understanding amongst professionals around the needs of children is a common theme in a number of existing and developing Government initiatives, including <i >Getting It Right for Every Child</i>, Early Years Strategy, <i >Equall…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, what action has been taken to work with local agencies to ensure that the needs of vulnerable infants are identified and responded to as early as possible so that they can make the b…

Answer · Adam Ingram: The early years framework published jointly with COSLA on 10 December 2008 is based on the principles of early intervention and sets out 10 elements of transformational change that will help to improve policy and delivery for young children, particularly thos…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, what action is being taken to highlight the consequences of alcohol use in pregnancy and the possibility of foetal alcohol syndrome.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has introduced a new NHS target on screening for alcohol misuse and delivering brief interventions to patients whose drinking may be putting their short and/or long-term health at risk. We have specified antenatal care as one of the pr…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, what plans it has to improve training for midwives and health visitors so that they can better support substance-misusing pregnant women and be confident about signposting them to sp…

Answer · Shona Robison: Working with others, NHS Education for Scotland are running a number of education initiatives to ensure that the training and development need of health visitors and practitioners are met. This includes how to support families with substance misuse problems a…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, whether it plans to review current advice on drinking during pregnancy to ensure that it is consistent and whether it will continue to raise awareness of the risks as part of nationa…

Answer · Shona Robison: Scotland''s Chief Medical Officer, jointly with the other UK Chief Medical Officers, issued clear advice in May 2007 that women who are pregnant or trying to conceive should avoid alcohol. This is the advice that is carried in Scottish Government publications…

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, what action has been taken to help healthcare workers to identify alcohol problems and domestic abuse during pregnancy.

Answer · Shona Robison: In September 2008, health officials wrote to all NHS board chief executives outlining a three-year programme to address the health consequences of gender-based violence. It outlines the responsibility of all NHS boards to produce and implement an action plan …

16 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents, what action has been taken to ensure that alcohol and drug action teams and child protection committees have in place local protocols for sharing information and working with familie…

Answer · Adam Ingram: Since the publication of <i >Hidden Harm, Next Steps</i> in 2006, Local Authority Child Protection Committees and Alcohol and Drug Action Teams across the country have formed joint working groups on issues in relation to substance misusing parents'' care of t…