Call for children’s care change

Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray has called for a change at the heart of government over its attitude towards child protection.

It follows a report in yesterday’s Press and Journal that revealed a large increase in the number of children referred to social work departments in the north-east.

Social work bosses said the surge was due to a growing awareness of the issues surrounding child abuse as a result of publicity over the death of Baby P, later identified as 17-month-old Peter Connelly.

Mr Gray welcomed the increased level of reporting of child abuse by the public but warned that more children could be put at risk unless stronger action was taken.

“Every time I have raised this issue I have been met by denials from Alex Salmond that anything is wrong with child protection in Scotland. The fact that the public are calling in in huge numbers shows a different story.

“Child protection is not just for social workers or the police. We all have a responsibility to protect vulnerable children.”

Mr Gray is campaigning for a national inquiry into child abuse to ensure children who need protection receive it and places are available if a child is taken into care.

The issue has been highlighted in Scotland with a series of damning reports into child-protection services in Dundee, Moray, Aberdeen and Midlothian.

Mr Gray said the Scottish Government should act immediately to ensure that agencies were required to share information so children at risk were identified and given the help and support they needed.

With up to 20,000 children living with drug-addicted parents and perhaps 100,000 whose parents are addicted to alcohol, prompt action is needed, he said.

Mr Gray said: “We cannot wait for yet another damning report and take only piecemeal action. There needs to be a national debate and inquiry and it needs national leadership.”

The Scottish Government said it had been funding a 24-hour freephone “gateway service” for the public to report concerns about neglected or abused children.

A spokesman said: “An independent evaluation of the child-protection line has recently been completed, the findings of which will be published shortly.”