Appendix 1
1.
1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
This Communications Plan has been developed as part of the overall
approach to working together to keep people (children, young people and
adults at risk of harm) safe in East Ayrshire and relates to the following:
1.2

Child Protection

Adult Support and Protection

Community Safety Partnership

Violence Against Women Partnership

Alcohol and Drugs Partnership
These partnerships are responsible for planning and implementing protection
and intervention strategies respectively across and between agencies in East
Ayrshire.
1.3
These partnership bodies include senior representations from a range of local
agencies, and through strategic planning and partnership working they seek
to continuously raise awareness about public protection issues and to
secure better outcomes for vulnerable children, young people and adults who
may be at risk of harm.
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OVERVIEW
2.1
The purpose of this communications plan is to ensure that all stakeholders
know and understand the role they have to play in helping to protect people
and keep them safe from harm.
2.2
Responsibility for the development of this communications plan lies with the
joint Public Information and Engagement subgroup, membership of which
consists of representatives from the partnerships outlined above in 1.1,
chaired by members of East Ayrshire Corporate Communications Team.
Responsibility for implementation of the actions contained within this plan lies
with the partnerships outlined in 1.1, either jointly or on an individual
service basis.
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2.3
The Partnerships are responsible for ensuring people have access to a range
of accessible information about protecting children, young people and adults
at risk of harm, and this communications plan will support them in this task by
complementing and supporting the priorities of individual partnerships’ action
plans.
2.4
2.5
This communications plan focuses on the

target groups (key stakeholders)

key messages

methods of communication
This plan will ensure that all joint communications are planned, consistent, fit
for purpose, targeted, two-way and accessible. All communications methods
will be evaluated regularly to ensure that they continue to meet the needs of
the target audiences.
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BACKGROUND
3.1
The Community Plan
The East Ayrshire Community Plan is the sovereign strategic planning
document for local partners and has four priority themes:

Promoting Lifelong Learning

Delivering Community Regeneration

Improving Health and Wellbeing

Improving Community Safety
The vision for East Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership is:
“East Ayrshire will be a place with strong vibrant communities where everyone
has a good quality of life and access to opportunities, choices and high quality
services which are sustainable, accessible and meet people’s needs”.
The Improving Community Safety Action Plan also gives a commitment to
promote child protection and the safety of vulnerable adults and undertakes to
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place greater emphasis on issues surrounding child protection and violence
against women.
3.2
Children and young people
The national Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland (2010) sets out the
roles and responsibilities of agencies, professional bodies and services. This
refers to work on a single agency and multi agency basis. The guidance also
outlines the role and functions of Child Protection Committees, which includes
strategic planning, continuous improvement and public information /
communications. It states that: “Child Protection Committees will produce and disseminate public information
about protecting children and young people. Child Protection Committees will
design, develop, publish, distribute, disseminate, implement, regularly review
and evaluate a public information and communication strategy that includes: 
Raising basic awareness and understanding of child protection issues
within communities, including among children and young people;

Adapting good practice from others and exploring opportunities to fulfill
these responsibilities with other Child Protection Committees;

Promoting the ethos that “child protection is everyone’s job” in keeping
with the GIRFEC approach; and

Providing information about how members of the public can report
concerns about a child and what could happen.
The East Ayrshire Child Protection Plan 2011-15 sets out our priorities and
actions, which is supported by annual action plans.
National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland (2010)
East Ayrshire Child Protection Plan (2011-2015)
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3.3
Adults in need of support and protection
The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 makes it clear that
adults are not at risk just because they have a disability. The law was
intended to make provisions to protect those adults affected by disability,
mental disorder, illness or physical or mental infirmity who were at risk of
harm including, self harm or neglect and for a number of reasons were also
unable to safeguard their health or welfare. The law also respects the
individual’s right to have their wishes taken into account and to have the
minimum amount of intervention into their personal life.
Under the terms of the Act local Adult Protection Committees (APCs), were to
be established, chaired by a person independent of the statutory services of
NHS, police and local authority. The chair of the Adult Protection Committee
is required to produce a report to Scottish Government every two years that
provides information on how adult support and protection is being delivered in
East Ayrshire.
Their vision:
“We believe in Zero Tolerance of Harm as our starting point, this means that
we believe all agencies, services and individuals need to do something when
they believe or know someone is being harmed. Doing nothing is not
acceptable. We want to work with people now not just to protect them when
harm happens but to prevent it. This way of working is called safeguarding.
This includes being aware when harm is happening to a child, their families or
a member of the public. We call this “Protecting People”.
We know that safeguarding means “listening very carefully to the voices
of
individuals
who
are
at
risk,
and
those
who
have
been
harmed….without people’s voices safeguarding not did not work.”
East Ayrshire Chair of the Adult Protection Committee Biennial report and Plans 2010 – 2012
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3.3
Community Safety
East Ayrshire Community Safety Partnership is committed to supporting safer
and stronger communities in which to live, work and play. The work of the
partnership both supports and complements the aims of the other four
partnerships through the provision of a range of safety initiatives designed to
reduce crime and antisocial behaviour; improve community safety in our
neighbourhoods and homes and to promote child protection and the safety of
vulnerable adults and the violence against women agenda.
3.4
Violence against Women Partnership
There is an extensive range of associated legislation inextricably linked to the
violence against women agenda.
While all partners in East Ayrshire
recognise the relevance of domestic abuse such as physiological and physical
abuse, there is less awareness of other forms of violence against women,
including forced marriage, human trafficking, childhood sexual abuse,
commercial sexual exploitation, rape, incest, pornography, stalking and
female genital mutilation.
The East Ayrshire Violence against Women Partnership was established in
2010 and consists of public and independent sector providers. All members
are at a sufficient level or have a mandate to enable them to make decisions
and progress multi-agency work. The aim of EAVAWP is to promote zero
tolerance by bringing together individuals and organisations to work towards a
common purpose, namely, to provide a comprehensive prevention and early
intervention partnership response to violence against women.
3.5
Alcohol and Drugs Partnership
Alcohol and Drugs Partnership is the multi-agency partnership responsible for
the local implementation of the Scottish Government’s drug strategy - The
Road to Recovery and the national alcohol strategy Changing Scotland’s
Relationship with Alcohol: A Framework for Action.
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4
STAKEHOLDERS
4.1
The partnerships share a broad range of stakeholders have a broad range of
stakeholders encompassing the communities of East Ayrshire, public, private
and voluntary sector organisations and employees delivering services in the
area, including advocacy, further education, elected members and national
agencies with a responsibility and/ or interest in the support and protection of
people at risk of harm.
4.2
While most children and young people grow up in homes where they are
loved and well cared for, sometimes, for a variety of reasons, a child or
young person may be harmed or mistreated in a way that is abusive.
Similarly, adults who may or may not be affected by a disability can
experience harm or abuse. In such cases it is important that help and support
is available ensure that these people properly cared for and protected.
4.4
Everyone has a responsibility to support and protect all people at risk of harm,
their carers and their families, and this plan aims to ensure that stakeholders
have access to information to help them fulfill this role.
4.5
The VAW agenda ensures that people from all sections of the community who
experience gendered based violence will have their needs addressed
including: Lesbian; Gender Identity; Transgender; Bisexual; Disability, HIV
Status, Race, Faith Groups and Age.
4.6
The following have been identified as key stakeholders:

Children

Adults

Service users

Parents

Parent councils

Formal and informal carers of
children, young people and adults who
need support

Foster carers
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
Kinship carers

Family member, friends, neighbours

General public

Further education providers

Schools

Early years

Youth groups

Community Planning Partners - NHS Ayrshire & Arran, Police, Fire and
Rescue

Third sector organisations

Inspection bodies

Service providers

Elected members

East Ayrshire Council employees
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OBJECTIVES
5.1
The aim of this plan will be to raise public understanding of the support and
protection available to children, young people and adults at risk of harm. It will
seek to reassure and enable people to take action, and will demonstrate how
action will make a difference.
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KEY MESSAGES
6.1
Communications will focus on the importance of prevention and emphasise
that people can play a role in stopping harm.
“All children and young people have the right to be cared for and protected
from harm and abuse and to grow up in a safe environment in which their
rights are respected and their needs are met. Children and young people
should get the help they need, when they need it, and their welfare is always
paramount.”
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
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“Parents/carers, families and communities have the primary role in
safeguarding and promoting the well-being of children; parents/carers have
ultimate responsibility for ensuring that their child’s needs are met, and are
often best placed to do so. Agencies and services should encourage and
support parents/carers, families and communities in carrying out this role.”
The National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2010
6.2
Key messages will seek to:







ensure children, young people and adults are aware of their right to be
safe
explain what constitutes child abuse and neglect and adult harm, and
provide details of who to contact if people have concerns raise awareness
about and promote the safety and protection of children, young people and
adults
explain how concerns, including anonymous or confidential concerns, will
be treated and what will happen next
give children and young people all/any of the community opportunities to
be involved in informing policy development
explain the role, function and remit of the individual partnerships
provide access to polices, procedures, protocols and guidance relating to
the partnerships
provide management information including statistics, trends and patterns
to inform service planning, development and delivery
6.3
Key messages will be accessible in that they will be tailored to suit the needs
of the different target audiences.
6.4
The partnerships have adopted the National Standards for Community
Engagement as a good practice model and will actively seek the views of
stakeholders to ensure they are reaching their intended audience, as set out
below.
http://www.scdc.org.uk/what/
INVOLVEMENT: we will identify and involve the people and organisations
who have an interest in the focus of the engagement
SUPPORT: we will identify and overcome any barriers to involvement
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PLANNING: we will gather evidence of the needs and available resources and
use this evidence to agree the purpose, scope and timescale of the
engagement and the actions to be taken
METHODS: we will agree and use methods of engagement that are fit for
purpose
WORKING TOGETHER: we will agree and use clear procedures that enable
the participants to work with one another effectively and efficiently
SHARING INFORMATION: we will ensure that necessary information is
communicated between the participants
WORKING WITH OTHERS: we will work effectively with others with an
interest in the engagement
IMPROVEMENT: we will develop actively the skills, knowledge and
confidence of all the participants
FEEDBACK: we will feed back the results of the engagement to the wider
community and agencies affected
MONITORING AND EVALUATION: we will monitor and evaluate whether the
engagement achieves its purposes and meets the national standards for
community engagement
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CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION
7.1
A variety of methods will be used to encourage communication that is
accessible to all. The needs of the target audience will determine the most
effective channel to be used; not all channels will be appropriate to every
target group.
7.2
Communicating with the wider public











Traditional press ads in local media
Local radio
Leaflets
Posters
Outdoor advertising
Dvd / films
PR / editorial
Website
Intranet
Partners websites
Events / promotions/ information days
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7.3
Communicating with groups who are more at risk of harm






Social media
Events
Focus groups
Drama / Music
Leaflets/ postcards
Sports
8.
TOOLKIT
8.1
A priority action within the Communications Plan will be to develop a toolkit of
materials which can be readily available for use by any of the services
involved in delivering the Protecting People messages. This will ensure that
all communications are planned and consistent and fit for purpose.
8.2
Toolkit may consist of the following:

Fact sheets / info cards for key service areas:

Leaflets

Posters

DVD/ you tube

e-learning
8.3
By designing a toolkit in this way other elements can be added to it as and
when required, if new initiatives come on line and others change.
8.4
Consistency will be achieved by application of a common design / look and
feel to these fact sheets and featuring the same contact numbers on all
pages.
8.5
The toolkit materials can be used individually for specific target audience
groups or used altogether as part of a bigger information pack where the
audiences are more general.
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9
PRIORITY ACTIONS 2013/2014
ACTION
Website content
review
DETAIL



Publications review
Shared toolkit
TIMESCALE
OUTCOMES

Clearer definitions
of harm issues

Content to be user
friendly; targeted to
specific audience.
Better awareness
of protection issues

Practioner content
to be filtered off to
new section.
Knowing where to
go for help and
support

Better
understanding of
processes and
what happens next

Clearer definitions
of harm issues

Better awareness
of protection issues

Knowing where to
go for help and
support

Better
understanding of
processes and
what happens next

Better awareness
of protection issues

Knowing where to
go for help and
support
Review all content
for partners on
EAC website.

Reciprocal links to
other agency
websites.

Review of all info
materials in use by
partners.

Current? Quantity?
Relevance? Gaps?

Indentify
opportunities for
shared materials
(see toolkit below)

Develop key
shared messages

Develop range of
simple cost
effective materials
Ongoing – complete by
December 2013
April – June 2013
June – December 2013
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