Scottish Government

Anne Stafford, Sharon Vincent, Connie Smith, Marian Grimes
The University of Edinburgh/ NSPCC Centre For UK-Wide Learning In Child Protection
ISBN 978 0 7559 7645 4 (Web only publication)
This document is also available in pdf format (792k)
This report is accompanied by research findings.

CONTENTS

1. THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT CHILDREN'S SERVICES WOMEN'S AID FUND: POLICY BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
Policy background
The aims of the Fund and the scope of the research

2. ETHICAL ISSUES
Issues of power, safety and control
Child protection
Consent and confidentiality
Data storage and security

3. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
Research design summary
Detail of methods

4. AIM 1:- ACCESS BY CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE TO WOMEN'S AID SERVICES
Introduction
Staffing at recommended levels
Numbers of children and young people accessing refuge, follow-on and outreach services
Time spent in direct work with children and young people
Flexibility of service
Reaching hard-to-reach young people
The Outreach service
Raising awareness and publicising services
Opportunities and barriers to increasing access to services

5. AIM 2:- SPECIALIST SERVICES TO MEET THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC ABUSE
Introduction
The importance to children of children's support workers
The role of the children's support worker
Children's support workers and parent support
The availability of one to one support services
Provision of group-work service
All children and young people have a key worker
Provision of age appropriate services
Assessment of needs and risk
Support plans
Case recording
Recording templates
Increased opportunities for children to build support networks

6. AIM 3:- MANAGEMENT, DELIVERY OF KEY PROCESSES, PRACTICE STANDARDS
Introduction
Operational management arrangements
Funding arrangements
Services registered and inspected by the Care Commission; and practice standards
Skills, qualifications and experience
Recruitment and retention of staff
Access to training
Protecting Children Framework for Standards and other relevant policies
Information sharing

7. AIM 4:- OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE TO INFORM SERVICE DEVELOPMENT AND PARTICIPATE IN ONGOING EVALUATION
Introduction
Working in participative ways
Involvement in decisions about the individual service they receive
Opportunities to ensure young people inform service development
Barriers to involving children and young people in decision making

8. AIM 5:- PARTNERSHIP WORKING WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS TO ENSURE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE RECEIVE THE SERVICES THEY NEED WHEN THEY NEED THEM
Introduction
Partnership working: strategic level
Partnership working: individual practice

9. FINAL SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Background
Headline findings
Methods and ethical considerations
Findings

10. REFERENCES

APPENDIX 1: FUND OBJECTIVES

The views expressed in this report are those of the researcher and
do not necessarily represent those of the Department or Scottish Ministers.