Child Protection Procedures - East Ayrshire Council

(e)
(f)
Investigation of the suspected abuse will follow the same
procedures as those for all other cases coming to the attention
of Social Work Department.
Staff must attend any Child Protection Conference to which
they are invited and fully share information which will enable
the child or young person to be protected.
2.15 Playgroups, Childminders and Private Nurseries
2.15.1 Registered childminders, playgroups and nurseries or any other
carers of children registered by the Education Department (Children
Act 1989) who have concerns or suspicions about a child must
inform the Social Work Department immediately. The responsibility
for reporting rests with the individual childminder or senior member of
staff (or equivalent) in charge of the playgroup or nursery.
2.16 The Children’s Reporter
2.16.1 The Children’s Reporter is the single independent official who has a
central role in the Children’s Hearing system and thus in child
protection in Scotland.
2.16.2 The Children’s Reporter is the official to whom all referrals must be
made regarding children who may be in the need of compulsory
measures of supervision, i.e. children who may be in need or in
trouble, who may be at risk of physical, sexual or emotional neglect,
or because they are not attending school, or because of their own
behaviour, including committing offences and being outwith parental
control.
2.16.3 The Children’s Reporter is employed by the Scottish Children’s
Reporter Administration (SCRA) with Headquarters in Stirling. There
is an Authority Reporter available to each Council in Scotland with
teams of reporters and administration staff as required. The
Authority Reporter for East Ayrshire is based at: 2, Bridge Lane,
Kilmarnock KA1 1QH Telephone: (01563) 534176.
2.16.4 Anyone can refer a child to the Reporter. In practice, most children
are referred by the Police, Social Work Department or Schools but
they are also referred by Doctors, Health Visitors, neighbours,
relatives, parents or even by the children themselves.
2.16.5 The Children’s Reporter has a duty to investigate the case of any
child reported or referred to him or her before deciding what action, if
any, is necessary in the child’s interests. Firstly, the Children’s
Reporter must decide if there is sufficient evidence with regard to the
grounds for the referral and secondly, must decide if there is a need
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