Call For A ‘Joined-Up’ Approach To Protect Vulnerable

A confidential register of vulnerable children should be set up and managed by a single agency, Scotland’s police watchdog recommends today.

In a critical report, Malcolm Dickson, the assistant inspector of constabulary, also calls on the Scottish Executive to pass laws requiring all public services to provide the proposed body with any information and intelligence raising concerns about children or vulnerable adults.

The recommendations come in the wake of several tragic cases where police, social work, education, health and other agencies failed to share information.

They include the case of 11-week-old Caleb Ness, shaken to death by his father, who had convictions for assault and drug trafficking.

An inquiry found the Edinburgh infant’s death was “avoidable” and criticised agencies for failing to share information.

Mr Dickson said: “This report makes clear that the way forces share information with other public services must improve if they are to provide a joined-up service which best meets the differing needs of individual members of the public.

“There is a growing awareness across the public sector that inefficient intelligence and information-sharing can have serious consequences.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Executive said: “We are not convinced that the recommendation of a single agency is the way forward.