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Publication - Advice and guidance

People arriving from Ukraine - risk and need: public protection guidance

Last updated
15 April 2025 - see all updates
Directorate
Children and Families Directorate
Topic
Children and families, International, Ukraine

Guidance for all practitioners involved in safeguarding of children and adults who are arriving in Scotland from Ukraine to identify and respond to risk and need.

Supporting documents

Overview

This guidance is for all practitioners involved in the identification and safeguarding of vulnerable children and adults who have arrived in Scotland, displaced by the illegal war against Ukraine. It highlights the vulnerabilities that services working with vulnerable children and adults at risk of harm should be aware of.

This guidance does not replace existing national or local safeguarding, child, or adult protection guidance or established structures.

The guidance sets out safeguarding challenges associated with displacement and outlines the approach to:

  • identifying concerns
  • supporting and maximising safety
  • the principles that should be applied
  • the legal frameworks underpinning practice

This guidance should be read in conjunction with the Super Sponsor Scheme and Individual Matching: guidance for local authorities. This has more detailed information in relation to entitlements, roles of local authorities, Welcome Hubs and access to services.

Contact

Email: UkraineSafeguarding@gov.scot

First published
13 April 2022
Last updated
15 April 2025 - show all updates

  1. Updated welfare checklist form and information relating to enhanced disclosure checks which are now called Level 2 with barred list checks.

  2. Guide reviewed and various text updates made throughout. Welfare checklist updated.

  3. Updated to reflect changes to UK legislation from 1 October 2024 relating to definitions of sponsor/hosts and unaccompanied minors thank you payments.

  4. Minor amend to remove incorrect link from child welfare page.

  5. Guide reviewed and various text updates made throughout.

  6. Updated to reflect UK Government visa changes.

  7. Added note to explain guide is being reviewed to reflect Home Office visa announcement.

  8. Updated advice to reflect current policy.

  9. Guide reviewed and updated to reflect current policy.

  10. Updated Unaccompanied children and young people.

  11. Updated the unaccompanied children section to cover all aspects, not just Homes for Ukraine.

  12. Added a chapter on processing accompanied children under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Applies to applications already made to the scheme.

  13. Updated Arrival pathways with info about pause in Super Sponsors Scheme

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