Children and Families National Leadership Group minutes: March 2025

Attendees and apologies

• Kathryn Lindsay, Co-Chair, SOLACE
• Fiona Whitelock, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA)
• Lynda Fenton, Public Health Scotland (PHS)
• Lynne McNiven, Directors of Public Health
• Sheena Devlin, Association of Directors Education in Scotland (ADES)
• Mike Burns, Social Work Scotland (SWS)
• Alison Gordon, SWS
• Laura Lamb, Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)
• Christopher Lumb, Care Inspectorate (CI)
• Neil Hunter, Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA)
• Mhairi Grant, Child Protection Committees Scotland
• Jude Turbyne, Children in Scotland
• Fraser McKinlay, The Promise
• Mary Glasgow. Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland
• Miriam McKenna, Improvement Service 
• Claire Burns, Centre for Excellence for Children's Care and Protection (CELCIS) 
• Jane Scott, CELCIS
• Bob Fraser, Disabled Children and Young People Advisory Group
• Andrew Watson, Co-Chair, Scottish Government 
• Gavin Henderson, Scottish Government
• Sara Hampson, Scottish Government
• Mairi Macpherson, Scottish Government
• Paul Beaton, Scottish Government
• Cara Cooper, Scottish Government
• Sharon Macdonald, Scottish Government
• Eilidh McCreath, Scottish Government
• Peter Donachie, Scottish Government
• Emily Aitchison, Scottish Government

Items and actions

Introduction

Andrew Watson introduced Kathryn Lindsay as the group’s new Co-Chair on behalf of SOLACE and updated the group on changes in membership:

• Miriam McKenna has replaced Sarah Gadsden as the Improvement Service’s representative
• Nicola (Nicky) McGovern has replaced Carron McKellar as Police Scotland representative
• Iona Colvin will be attending for Office of the Chief Social Work Adviser (OCSWA) for the present in place of Joanna Macdonald who has now left Scottish Government

No amendments were made to the draft note of the group’s last meeting on 5 December. Most of the actions arising from the meeting had been achieved. The Secretariat will liaise with Mike Burns over arrangements for a future session for the group on funding flexibilities in Glasgow following discussion of the group’s future workplan and priorities. The Scottish Health and Social Care Alliance’s report of the Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) Regional Gathering Insights Events in autumn 2024 has still to be published.

Future direction of leadership group

Andrew Watson thanked the members of the planning group which had met in January to discuss the leadership group’s future priorities and workplan. The main recommendations were presented in paper 2/1 and were that the leadership group should:

• have a clear role of providing strategic oversight, scrutiny and assurance to support the delivery of key policies for children and families
• agree a small number of key priorities to form the basis of a collective action-orientated solution focused workplan
• consider and indicate agreement to the key priorities for the 2025/26 workplan as being:
• strengthening implementation of GIRFEC
• improving Children’s Services Planning
• supporting the workforce
• advising on the development of policy surrounding The Promise Bill, including areas where non-legislative solutions are appropriate

Members agreed the recommendations subject to the following additions:

• work undertaken in relation to Children’s Services Planning should focus on national as well as local level improvements. This could include helping to advise on the revision of statutory guidance for Children’s Services Planning
• an ask to include the Programme for Government Commitment on Whole Family Support among the group’s priorities. There are important links to the group’s existing priorities but these need to be clearly defined in the workplan. It was agreed that an update on the Whole Family Support Programme could be tabled for the next meeting

The group also agreed the need for a clearer narrative with more consistent language clarifying the relationship between GIRFEC, UNCRC, Keeping The Promise, Getting It Right For Everyone  (GIRFE), Whole Family Support, Early Childhood Development and Tackling Child Poverty. Previous attempts at creating a narrative had mixed results. A more productive approach could be to focus on developing a forward look from 2025-30 setting out how these policies fit together; what they will deliver for children, families and communities and by when.

An emerging issue to consider the relationship between the leadership group and National Care Service (NCS) Advisory Board was also raised. There are potentially good opportunities for the leadership group’s priorities to help support the work of the NCS Advisory Board and other partners. There are strong connections between adult services, including those for drug, alcohol and mental health support, and children’s services. Improving transitions between children and adult services through GIRFE and other areas of activity is also likely to be a key area for collaboration. However, the role and working arrangements for the NCS Advisory Board are at an early stage and, as such, this issue will be subject to further discussion.

The leadership group recognised that, by focusing on a smaller number of priorities, there will be a need to better identify the most appropriate approach for taking forward other issues. An example of these types of issues was raised- how best to meet the needs of children with speech, language and communication difficulties as described in a paper from ADES/Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. Improving provision for children with additional support needs will also be a critical theme across the work of the leadership group alongside other groups with scope for better joint working.

Strengthening implementation of GIRFEC

Cara Cooper summarised the proposals to strengthen the implementation of GIRFEC set out in paper 2/2. The main recommendations were to:

• progress improvement work in areas of service delivery including Children’s Services Planning, early career education, and the health visiting pathway
• critically evaluate the common challenges identified in the thematic review conducted by the Scottish Government’s GIRFEC Team with GIRFEC leads; and as discussed earlier in the meeting
• develop a shared narrative around the alignment of policies with a key role in improving outcomes for children, young people and families to promote cohesion across the workforce and senior leadership

The paper proposed that the leadership group establish a sub-group to take forward this and other improvement activity to strengthen the consistency of GIRFEC implementation in practice - including through the provision of resources and training - and promote a shared understanding of GIRFEC’s role as the anchor for the delivery of policies and services to improve outcomes for children, young people and families. To help achieve this, the sub-group’s membership would include both those in leadership roles and frontline practitioners.

The leadership group agreed to set up the sub-group. It was suggested the sub-group could usefully focus on assessing what progress has been made since the beginning of the GIRFEC approach; the current position across GIRFEC’s constituent components and pathways (including education, health and justice as well as social work); the barriers to further progress; and how these can be addressed. As part of this, it will be important to examine the impact on GIRFEC of the changing contexts over the last 20 years in terms of funding, policies and workforce and how best GIRFEC can be future-proofed going forward.

Promoting multi-agency working through effective children’s services and community planning remains central to the success of GIRFEC. To assist this, the Improvement Servic shared briefings on tackling inequalities, trauma and adversity, improving outcomes for people and communities affected by poverty, and an infographic to encourage better joint working across policy boundaries.

Members also highlighted the need for better data sharing; funding flexibilities across partners; and more innovative approaches to improvement. This includes early intervention work with partners such as health visitors and third sector organisations. Consideration should also be given to how the GIRFEC approach can be better communicated to families themselves. 

The Scottish Government’s GIRFEC team agreed to take these issues into account in developing the sub-group’s remit and workplan.

Next steps and any other business

The planning group, including any additional members who would like to volunteer, will continue to meet to support the planning and delivery of the National Leadership Group’s workplan.

Date of next meeting

The leadership group agreed to move from meeting every month to meeting every two months. Two extended meetings in each year will be held in-person with the remainder held online.