The Child's Journey and the Professional Response
The first response, often from parents, teachers, police officers or any adult involved in a child’s life, can make a huge difference to whether children feel heard, respected and supported.
In Children First’s work, the initial response from police officers has often been important to how children and their families experience the justice system.
Interagency Referral Discussion
An Interagency Referral Discussion (IRD) is usually the starting point for both a child protection and criminal investigation response. The National Child Protection Guidance states:
"Where information is received by police, health or social work that a child may have been abused or neglected and/or is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm, an IRD must be convened without undue delay. An IRD is the start of the formal process of information sharing, assessment, analysis and decision-making following reported concern about abuse or neglect of a child or young person up to the age of 18 years, in relation to familial and non-familial concerns, and of siblings or other children within the same context. This includes an unborn baby that may be exposed to current or future risk." 65
The decisions from an IRD have a direct impact on the use of Bairns Hoose for a child. The IRD process involves police, social work and health. Education, early years and third sector services may also be involved. An IRD must decide:
- What decisions must be taken about the immediate safety and wellbeing of this child and/or other children involved?
- Is an inter-agency child protection investigation required?
- Is a single-agency investigation and follow-up preferred and why?
- If no further investigation is required, what are the reasons for this?
- Is a joint investigative interview (JII) required and, if so, what are the arrangements for this? (Including who will carry it out, the location of interview and in what timescale.)
- Is a medical examination required? If so, should this be a comprehensive medical examination, a specialist paediatric forensic examination or a joint paediatric forensic examination for cases of potential non-accidental injury or suspected sexual abuse?
- Is early referral to the Principal Reporter needed as the child is in need of protection, guidance, treatment and/or control, and a Compulsory Supervision Order is required to be considered?
Across the local authority areas in North Strathclyde, an Interagency Referral Discussion would not normally include the Child Interview Team and Children First recovery workers (unless it relates to a further incident with a child already involved in the Bairns Hoose service). In the future, there could be involvement of the multi-agency Bairns Hoose teams in earlier stages of decision-making for children.
The Scottish Government’s vision for Bairns Hoose specifically includes children under the age of criminal responsibility (which is twelve in Scotland) whose behaviour may have caused serious physical or sexual harm. Since the Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019 (ACRA) and associated statutory guidance, less than ten ACRA interviews have been conducted across Scotland and none in North Strathclyde.
For a very small number of children, this means that a formal investigative interview will be necessary in line with the Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019. Decisions about whether the child should attend the Bairns’ Hoose and for what purpose will be made through the IRD process.
Preparing to come to Bairns Hoose
Children First and partners have developed a range of resources to support children and families to feel informed about Bairns Hoose and the interview process. These include a conversation, leaflets and a video. Children and families or carers are also given the opportunity to visit the Bairns Hoose pre-interview. This can be particularly helpful in reassuring younger children, those who have additional support needs or those who need further explanation of the interview process. By visiting the Bairns Hoose in advance they can meet the interviewers, ask any questions they may have and start to build trusting relationships.
To facilitate a pre-interview visit one of the interviewers will contact the Children First Bairns Hoose team and agree a time that works for the visit. Visits are always arranged when there are no other interviews, to ensure the child and their family/parent/carer have privacy and are able to walk freely around the house.
During the visit the interviewers are only able to talk about the interview process and will not discuss any details of the reason for the interview.
Children First and the interview team work together to make the arrangements for the visit that work best for the family. In a majority of cases, families will be given transport and help to travel to the house.
The Children First North Strathclyde Bairns Hoose is located in a residential area on a quiet street. Children and families are able to access the Bairns Hoose as discreetly as possible. To ensure the privacy of children using the Bairns Hoose, the location of the hoose is closely guarded and only shared carefully when required. As an added measure for the privacy of young people and their families, we keep parking spaces at the hoose for their use.
A suitable date, time and venue for the interview is agreed with the child and their support person. When confirming the date, the interview team member makes contact with the Children First duty worker to book the interview room. The interview room and one of the welcome rooms are then booked, to ensure both spaces are available in the event of the interview taking place at the same time as a child attending the Bairns Hoose to use the justice suite or receive follow up support.
Children and their family or carers are usually met by one of the interviewers when they arrive and introduced to the Children First worker who is on duty. Children who have attended previously for a pre interview visit or have existing Children First support usually arrive at the hoose with an air of confidence, knowing where they are going. All visitors are offered a drink and if appropriate a snack (we never know when a child may last have eaten) and are shown where they can put their personal belongings, the toilets and welcome spaces.
65 Scottish Government (Updated 2023) National Child Protection Guidance, Edinburgh: Scottish Government. Pg. 95