ALLIANCE responds to the GIRFEC guidance refresh Stakeholder Focused Consultation

The ALLIANCE welcomes updates to the GIRFEC guidance, and shares recommendations to improve accessibility and implementation.

The GIRFEC guidance refresh Stakeholder Focused Consultation launched on 1st November 2021. Over the years, the ALLIANCE has heard from a significant number of people and organisations across Scotland with direct experience of implementing GIRFEC, and of providing and accessing children’s services. Our consultation response draws on this evidence base, as well as the views gathered from our members throughout the consultation period, and during a members event held on 2nd December 2021 to support this consultation launch.

The suite of updated documents includes:

• the GIRFEC Policy Statement
• Practice Guidance on the role of the named person
• Practice Guidance on the role of the lead professional
• Practice Guidance on using the National Practice Model
• Practice Guidance on information sharing
• the Information Sharing Charter

The ALLIANCE has also produced two videos with information about the GIRFEC guidance refresh, which can be viewed on our ALLIANCE Live YouTube channel (GIRFEC guidance refresh presentation and Q&A with GIRFEC Team Policy Manager ; these links will take you away from our website).

During the consultation period and members event, the ALLIANCE heard from a range of organisations, professionals, parents, and carers representing the views and experiences of disabled children and young people, those living with long term or life limiting conditions, children and young people with sensory loss, children and young people in care, among others. Some of the key recommendations we put forward in our response are:

• The Policy Statement and Practice Guidance were generally perceived as easy to use and understand by practitioners and professionals. However, the documents should also be child friendly, and designed for young people and families to understand. These should also be made fully accessible for children, young people, and parents/carers with additional support needs, or sensory loss.
• The refreshed GIRFEC practice guidance should include practical examples and best practice guidelines to help practitioners implement the policy in a consistent manner.
• In line with the principles of the UNCRC, the refreshed guidance emphasises the importance of listening to the voice of the child, and of involving children, young people, and families in planning for a child’s or young person’s wellbeing. As such, the guidance should outline appropriate techniques and methodologies to equip practitioners and professionals to meaningfully engage with children and young people.
• Funding for bespoke training on the refreshed guidance, particularly on information sharing, needs to be made available by Scottish Government.
• Better alignment is needed between children’s and adult services; GIRFEC training should be made available to those working in adult services to ensure there is a more coordinated approach across services.

You can read the full response via the link below.

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