Newsletter
Issue #5 March 2014
in the Scottish Borders
Welcome to the fifth issue of the Scottish Borders GIRFEC Newsletter.
Children and Young People’s Bill
The Bill was passed by Parliament on 19 February 2014 and is expected to become an Act by April 2014.
Publication of Statutory Guidance & Regulations is expected Spring 2015. This date may be subject to change.
The Bill is wide ranging and provisions include:
 The Children and Young People Bill will deliver more funded, flexible early learning and childcare of at least
600 hours a year for three- and four-year-olds and the most vulnerable two year olds – delivering a saving of
around £700 per child per family per year – from August.
 From April 2015, teenagers in residential, foster or kinship care who turn 16 gaining new rights to remain
‘looked-after’ up to the age of 21, as well as extended entitlement to aftercare up to their 26th birthday.
 New duties placed on Ministers and the wider public sector to promote children’s rights, as well increased
powers given to Scotland’s Children’s Commissioner.
 Kinship carers gaining enhanced legal entitlements to assistance.
 Scotland’s National Adoption Register placed in statute, improving prospects for finding homes for vulnerable
young children.
 Counselling and other support provided for vulnerable children and their families.
 Improved provision of advice and help when needed for children and families from early years to adulthood,
including providing a ‘named person’ for each child – usually their health visitor or head/senior teacher –
available as a single point of contact.
 Every primary 1 to 3 child gaining the option of a free school lunch from next January.
 Strengthened legislation on school closures, including new requirements and improved transparency for
closure proposals, particularly in rural communities.
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Commencement of Act’s GIRFEC provisions is expected Summer 2016:
Ensure that all children and young people from birth to 18 years old have access to a Named Person;
Put in place a single planning process to support those children who require it;
Place a definition of wellbeing in legislation; and
Place duties on public bodies to coordinate the planning, design and delivery of services for children and
young people with a focus on improving wellbeing outcomes, and report collectively on how they are
improving those outcomes.
Named Person
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The phased approach to the implementation of the Named Person in the Scottish Borders is progressing.
Health and Education are working together to complete the workplan in accordance with the timeframes of
the Children and Young People’s Bill as well as taking on board the local issues raised by this role. We
continue to implement GIRFEC practice and early intervention with the child at the centre.
GIRFEC paperwork
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GIRFEC paperwork will be reviewed in April 2014. Your comments are essential to make sure that the final
version of the paperwork is fit for purpose – What do you like about the paperwork? What would improve
the paperwork? Please contact Fiona Wain with your comments by 4 April 2014.
There are dedicated sites to access the GIRFEC paperwork:Health – Microsite
Education – Intranet > Your Job > Education and lifelong learning > GIRFEC
ICS – Intranet > Your Job > Social Work > ICS and then scroll down to GIRFEC
3rd Sector – Youth Borders website
Training
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GIRFEC Elearning – all agencies now have access to the GIRFEC Elearning module.
Please discuss with your line manager if you have not yet completed.
Information Sharing
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Scottish Borders is working on guidance to support practitioners with information sharing and there will be
a communication in the near future about this guidance.
What else is happening?
Education - A Pastoral Note Protocol has been developed so that the use of SEEMIS across all schools in the
Scottish Borders is consistent. Experienced users of SEEMIS in the Secondary school are supporting Primary Senior
Management with using Pastoral Notes.
Education – A GIRFEC Snail Game, a tool to help children understand wellbeing, will be given out to every primary
school shortly.
Multi-agency – A test of change is being used with the Wellbeing WEB in the Eildon locality. The WEB is an
interactive tool to capture outcomes that enables children and their carers to recognise where they are, where they
would like to be and what steps they need to take to get there. The test of change will inform how the Wellbeing
WEB will be rolled out across the Scottish Borders.
Multi-agency – Lead Professional training is being developed.
What do I need to be doing now? – a checklist
1. Everyone needs to ask themselves the following 5 key questions if there is an issue for a child
The 5 Key Questions
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What is getting in the way of this child’s wellbeing?
What can I do to help this child?
What can my agency do to help this child?
Do I need to share or seek any further information to construct a plan?
Does this child need any help from any other agency?
Know who will be the child’s Named Person – midwife, health visitor, Head Teacher who can delegate tasks.
Use the 8 Wellbeing indicators to keep the child at the centre
GIRFEC paperwork to be used
Chronologies to be used
How are you getting GIRFEC out there?
Please contact your GIRFEC Leads if you have any questions……….
GIRFEC project officer:
Fiona Wain (Council Head Quarters) 01835 824000 / fwain@scotborders.gov.uk
GIRFEC Lead in Health:
Eleanor Kerr (Nurse Consultant) 01896664580/ Eleanor.Kerr@borders.scot.nhs.uk
GIRFEC Lead in Education:
Christine Brown (Senior Education Officer) / CBrown@scotborders.gov.uk
GIRFEC Lead in Integrated Children’s Services:
Stuart Easingwood (Team Leader Social Work / Policy, Planning and Performance Officer)
SEasingwood@scotborders.gsx.gov.uk
GIRFEC contact in Police:
Sergeant Justin Hulford 01835825945/ Justin.Hulford@scotland.pnn.police.uk
GIRFEC contact in 3rd Sector:
Bridie Ashrowan (Youth Borders) 01896755110/ bridie@youthborders.org.uk
POLICE
SCOTLAND