Child Protection Procedures - East Ayrshire Council

7.22.2 The Reporter may direct the release of the child Children (Scotland)
Act 1995 Section 61 (8) .
7.22.3 When authorisation is granted, social work staff must take all
practicable steps to notify relevant persons (as defined at Section 93
(2) (b)), any other person with whom the child was residing at the
time and the Reporter specifying:
• The steps taken to implement the grant of authorisation
• The place of safety to which the child is being taken or
where he or she is being accommodated (unless under
Regulation 10, The Emergency Child Protection Measures
(Scotland) Regulations 1996, the social worker notifying
the persons specified above considers it necessary to
withhold this information in order to safeguard the welfare
of the child)
• The reasons for granting the authorisation, any other steps
being taken to safeguard the welfare of the child (unless
under Regulations 1996), if the social worker notifying the
persons specified above considers it necessary to withhold
this information in order to safeguard the welfare of the
child).
7.22.4 An application for an emergency authorisation is a serious step
involving direct and urgent intervention by the local authority to
remove a child to a place of safety, or to prevent him/her from being
removed from a specified place.
7.22.5 Before deciding on this route to protect a child, the local authority
must be satisfied that:
• Alternative options for action to protect the child have been
taken into account
• The conditions for making a child protection order are
satisfied
• All practical steps to secure an audience before a sheriff
have been taken.
7.22.6 When an authorisation is granted, or a police officer acts within
Section 61(5), the Team Leader in consultation with Service Unit
Manager should urgently consider the need to make an application
for a child protection order to a Sheriff. An emergency authorisation
ceases to have effect if not implemented within 12 hours of being
granted.
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