Adult Support and Protection National Strategic Forum: March 2025

Attendees and apologies

• Maree Todd, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport (Chair) 
• Vikki Milne, SG: Adult Support & Protection
• Jamie Aarons, SG: Adult Support & Protection
• Gemma Graham, SG: Adult Support & Protection
• Iain Ramsay, SG: Office of the Chief Social Work Advisor (OCSWA)
• Fiona Brown, Office of the Public Guardian
• Grace Gilling, NHS ASP Network Group
• Stephen Grimason, Scottish Police
• Maureen Scott, NHS Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)
• Brenda Walker, NASPC, Iriss
• Stuart Muirhead, Iriss
• Holly Smith, Iriss
• Jeanette Sutton, Iriss
• Mark Hargreaves, SG: HM Inspectorate of Constabulary Division
• Julie Paterson, Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland
• Katie Feyerabend, Iriss
• Emily Whyte, Iriss
• Slyvia Chatfield, NHS
• Alan Laughland, ASP Lead Officer
• Neil Gibson, Social Work Scotland
• Elaine Torrance, SASPICA, Conveners Group
• Austen Smyth, TRFS
• Suzanne Swinton, SIAA
• Clare Mcguire, NHS
• Claire Wilson, Social Work, Aberdeen City HSCP
• Ian Kerr, Care Inspectorate (CI)
• Lisa Corrigan, SG: Adult Support & Protection (Minutes)

Apologies

• Iain MacAllister, SG, Regulation, Improvement & Integration
• Robert Peterson, SG, Regulation, Improvement & Integration
• Gemma Ritchie, Social Work Scotland ASP Leads Network
• Mike Harkin, Care Inspectorate (CI)
• Alison Morrison, Care Inspectorate (CI)
• Susan Maclaren, ASP Convenor, Aberdeenshire
• Karen Hedge, Scottish Care
• John Urquhart, COSLA
• Jane Byrne, NHS Healthcare Improvement Scotland

Items and actions

Welcome, introductions and business from last meeting

Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport Maree Todd welcomed everyone to the Forum. Ms Todd noted a copy of the previous meeting’s minutes from September 2024, there were no ongoing actions from the last meeting. Ms Todd then invited the Forum to respond on whether the minutes were an accurate record of the last meeting. The minutes were approved. 

ASP Biennial Reports Initial Findings 

Katie Feyerabend, Iriss, presented the preliminary main findings from the Biennial Reports from 2022-2024, that were submitted by Adult Support and Protection Convenors. Katie highlighted submitting biennial reports to the Scottish Government is a statutory requitement, the reports are then analysed and reviewed around ASP activities and outcomes over the past 2 years. Guidance and a template is provided to adult protection committees, which details what specific data to provide and asks for key developments, learning, challenges and areas for improvement. 

The preliminary findings will be finalised to provide a summary report, it will then be shared with local authorities. Going forward Katie detailed how it would be helpful to work with local authorities on the next round of biennial reports.

Links between national and local data (ASP Data reports and Biennial)

Katie presented the links between national and local ASP data. This data helps support evidence in policy making decisions, identify issues and developments and help local authorities on how to compare and provide a national picture. Katies noted the ASP Minimum dataset has been in development since 2020, it was developed with 5 learnings partners from different local authorities. Phase 1 took place last financial year and due to feedback, this financial year a few additional indicators have been added to the data collection workbook. Data is collected quarterly, submitted by local authorities which replaces the previous ASP national annual survey. A mid term report, used for management information, was shared with local authorities and later this year an annual report will be published. Drop in sessions are arranged quarterly, for local authorities to attend for an overview of the data and have space for questions. The future of the national dataset is to continue to be the starting point for creating a national picture of ASP.

National Implementation Group Update (NIG)

Iain Ramsay, Professional Social Work Adviser, OCSWA, Scottish Government, gave an overview of the subgroups and a recap of the NIG, formed when the revised code of practice was published in 2022. The aim of the group is to take a collaborative approach to ASP. The 4 subgroups were created alongside this. The last forum in September there was a resource presented, good practice for effective participation, from the ‘User Voice’ Subgroup, which was endorsed by National Strategic Forum (NSF).

Update on the four subgroups

• the Chronologies subgroup has now widened its remit and membership to include a lifespan approach. The group has changed name to the National Chronology group. At the recent National Public Protection Leadership Group (NPPLG), Vikki Low, Chair of the Chronology group, recommended chronology work would benefit broader public protection visibility. This means that the group now reports directly to the NPPLG and no longer sits on the NIG.
• the Self Evaluation group has been working with inspection partners to develop the Quality Improvement Framework as part of phase 2 of the ASP joint inspection programme, the framework has now been published as of October 2024. The subgroup will become a reference group to support with on going self evaluation work.
• the Advocacy & the Voice of the Service User subgroup developed a good practice guide for effective participation, this was endorsed by the NSF in September 2024 and is now available on the Iriss ASPire hub. The good practice guide to advocacy resources has been considered by the NIG and will be presented today for consideration. A further resource on user feedback is currently being developed by the group and will be brought to the September 2025 NSF for endorsement.
• the Inquiries, Investigative Powers & Role of the Council Officer subgroup was the first to produce a national resource. This was best practice guidance for the role of the non-council officer. It was successfully endorsed by the ASP National Strategic Forum in March 2024. The group is now working on guidance to support decision making by local authorities when fulfilling their duty to enquire at screening stage and the quality assurance of decision making.

Best Practice Guidance for Independent Advocacy in Adult Support and Protection

Suzanne Swinton introduced the resource for endorsement. The resource was developed by the User Voice Subgroup, which includes a diverse range of ASP practitioners, including independent advocacy organisations. Extensive feedback was sought and incorporated, further strengthening the resource and ensuring it reflects best practices in the field.

Suzanne detailed how independent advocacy plays a crucial role in ensuring individuals can access justice, make informed choices, and actively engage in Adult Support and Protection (ASP) processes. By upholding their rights and amplifying their voices, independent advocacy empowers individuals while promoting autonomy, dignity, and self-determination. The NSF group agreed to endorse the guidance.

National Implementation Group evaluation and reflections

Emily Whyte introduced the reflection report, that was published last November on the Iriss website. Emily details how they conducted focus groups with each of the 4 NIG subgroups, to understand how the groups worked together. The report captured the national approach, opportunities and enablers, challenges, learning and progress and hopes for the future. Emily details the key themes found from the evaluation;

• collaborative approaches and cross-sector alignment
• resource development 
• challenges in capacity 
• gaps between policy and practice 
• the importance of shared learning and reflective spaces
• enhancing preventative and follow-up support 
• sustainability

Iain Ramsay and Brenda Walker were eager to learn how the 4 subgroups found the experience over the last 2 years. The findings are positive and the NIG will use the learning, alongside the minimum dataset, joint inspection activity and biennial report work. A more in depth evaluation will be completed in the future. 

Quality Improvement Framework (QIF)

Ian Kerr, Care Inspectorate, gave an overview of the work  around the Adult Support and Protection multi agency quality improvement framework, which was published in October 2024. The Care Inspectorate considered a QIF for adult support and protection as it would be a useful tool for partnerships to carry out periodic multi-agency self-evaluations of adult support and protection, to drive improvement and to help underpin future joint inspections of ASP.

To support the development of the QIF, the Care Inspectorate collaborated with the ASP National Implementation self-evaluation subgroup. Workshops were held online and in person, with around 80 attendees and over 800 comments were received. Ian details how they met with a number of organisation’s, groups and adults with lived experience of trauma and adult support and protection. The groups reviewed the QIF and commented upon it, providing the Care Inspectorate with powerful statements reflecting their experiences, which has been reflected in the QIF. The QIF can be used by police, social work, health and other partners were appropriate. 

National Public Protection Leadership Group (NPPLG) / Learning Reviews Update

Elaine Torrance gave an update on the NPPLG, as chair of the ASP independent convenors group. The group was established in June 2024. It provides national multi-agency leadership of public protection across Scotland. It acts as a multi-agency forum to drive continuous improvement of public protection arrangements across Scotland for local and national leaders. The group has developed a workplan that was shared with members in January 2025. 

Elaine Torrance gave an update on learning review work. The child protection/adult support and protection learning review group has been formed to provide national support for learning from local learning reviews to be shared and embedded across the country. The group will inform the NPPLG of nationally relevant implications to inform future public protection work. The group works closely with the administrators of the learning review knowledge hub to ensure learning is shared. New statutory guidance has been drafted for Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHSR) by the DHSR team. The NPPLG will review relevant aspects of the draft statutory guidance for comment.

Large Scale Investigation Guidance (LSI) update/Engagement Plans

Jeanette Sutton, from Iriss, led on drafting the guidance in collaboration with a wide range of experienced partners mainly from Local Authorities, but also Scottish Care, the Mental Welfare Commission and Police Scotland. Iriss also proactively engaged with other experienced stakeholders to ensure a balanced group – including Social Work Scotland Groups, healthcare, the Care Inspectorate, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, contracts and commissioning representatives, and frontline workers. 

Vikki Milne, Scottish Government, detailed that Iriss are finalising the draft national guidance and it will be submitted to the (SG) ASP policy team where they will undertake a short, targeted engagement exercise with relevant stakeholders with an interest to seek views on the draft guidance. The engagement exercise will include members of the ASP National Strategic Forum, ASP Conveners and local Leads, Social Work Scotland, Police Scotland, NHS ASP Leadership along with bespoke engagement sessions. The draft will then be finalised and submitted for Ministers to consider and, if content, publish on the Scottish Government Website.

Vikki added some final remarks to make the Forum aware that work is currently underway to develop a National ASP Learning and Development Framework for all organisations to make use of. Anyone who wishes further information in the meantime, should contact Brenda Walker: brenda.walker@iriss.org.uk. It is the intention to share the finalised Framework with the Forum at their meeting in September 2025.

Final Remarks

Ms Todd, closed the meeting thanking all the speakers and members for attending from what was another engaging and busy session. The next Forum meeting will take place in 6 months, with the date to be confirmed.