PPCOG Membership

A copy of the Highland Public Protection Chief Officer Group Annual Report for 2022 – 2023is available to download here: – Annual Report

Highland Child Protection Committee

Highland Child Protection Committee

The Scottish Government requires that every area in Scotland has a Child Protection Committee, bringing together key agencies that work with children and their families “To work together collectively to identify and commission inter-agency activity with respect to protecting children and young people.” This work is undertaken within the wider ethos of Getting It Right for Every Child.

Highland Child Protection Committee is a multi-agency partnership responsible for:
– Raising public awareness of child protection issues
– Co-ordinating prevention activities with children and their families
– Providing child protection guidance and training
– Implementing national child protection initiatives
– Assuring the quality of responses to child protection issues

The CPC comes under the umbrella of ‘Safer Highland’ and is overseen by the Public Protection Chief Officer Group led by Chief Officers from Highland Council, NHS Highland and Police Scotland.

The Committee aims to work in partnership with children, parents and communities to ensure children in Highland are Safe.

For more information on the Highland Child Protection Committee please follow the link here

https://hcpc.scot/

The website is for anyone who wants to know more about child protection. The website has been developed by Highland Child Protection Committee to help you find out what to do and who to contact if you are concerned about a child and information on what might happen next. You can also search the site for information about local and national services, training courses and recent publications, as well as policies and forthcoming events.

Highland Adult Support & Protection Committee

The Highland Adult Support and Protection Committee puts arrangements in place to protect and support adults who are at risk of harm and from the risk of harm.

Adult support and protection | NHS Highland (scot.nhs.uk)

Working as part of the ‘’Safer Highland’’ partnership structure, the Highland Adult Support and Protection Committee has an important role in ensuring that robust arrangements are in place to protect and support adults who are at risk of harm and from the risk of harm. These inter-agency procedures have been developed alongside practitioners to establish the common framework for the implementation of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 across Highland.

Adult Support and Protection Inter Agency Procedures

In order to ensure that they remain current and fit for purpose, the Procedures are regularly reviewed and updated. Alongside these procedures are a number of other initiatives which are being progressed. These include raising awareness amongst the public about the types of harm that people may be exposed to and how they can be supported to highlight any circumstances where they believe that someone they know might be at risk of harm.

An extensive training programme has also been developed to support the implementation of these procedures. This is key to ensuring that staff who work in the partner agencies and in the independent sector are suitably equipped to use these procedures competently and confidently. The effectiveness of all of these arrangements will be answered in time by adults at risk of harm and the people who care for them. As a result of all our efforts, including implementation of these procedures, our aim must be to ensure that they feel safer and better protected.

The Highland Violence Against Women Partnership

The Highland Violence Against Women Partnership is a group of services who work together to prevent all forms of Violence Against Women, identify those affected and provide services and support that increase their safety and well-being.  Importantly they also work together to challenge and hold perpetrators accountable for their behaviours.

The services involved in the partnership include NHS Highland, The Highland Council, Police Scotland, Scottish Prison Service, Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service, Scottish Fire & Rescue Service,  4 Women’s Aid groups,  Rape and Sexual Abuse Service Highland (RASASH), Victim Support and Barnardo’s.

The Highland Violence Against Women Partnership reports to the Chief Officers Group, along with other Public Protection Groups in Highland.

For more information on The Highland Violence Against Women Partnership please follow the link below:

https://www.hvawp.scot.nhs.uk/

Here you will find a range of information and resources relating to the broad spectrum of gender-based violence including,

• domestic abuse including victim, children and young people and perpetrator,
• rape and other forms of sexual violence,
• harmful traditional practices including female genital mutilation (FGM), so called ‘honour-based violence’, forced marriage,
• commercial sexual exploitation including trafficking, prostitution

 CONTACT US

Violence Against Women Partnership                                                      Email: vawp.highland@nhs.scot
Public Health Directorate                                                                            Tel: 07971 624 293
NHS Highland
Larch House
Stoneyfield Business Park
Inverness
IV2 7PA

Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA)

Since 2007, all Registered Sex Offenders (RSOs) in Scotland have been subject to management through the multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA). This was introduced by sections 10 & 11 of the Management of Offenders etc. (Scotland) Act 2005. and has been in place since 2007, the arrangements are well established across the country.

MAPPA exists across the UK, although subject to differing legislation and guidance in England, Wales and Northern Ireland the underlying principles and intention are the same.

MAPPA is neither a body nor an organisation in fact the arrangements are best thought of as an overarching set of principles and guidance. They enable the agencies involved in the management of RSOs to share information effectively. This allows them to better assess and manage any risks considered to be posed by these offenders.

The objective of MAPPA and of the agencies involved in the management of MAPPA offenders, is to protect the public. This is done by minimising the risk of harm presented by such offenders so far as it is possible to do so.

All Registered Sex Offenders are subject to MAPPA and the key agencies involved in MAPPA are:

• Police Scotland
• Local Authority
• Scottish Prison Service, and
• Health Board (for Restricted Patients).

Police Scotland has dedicated Offender Management Units within each of its policing divisions, they have responsibility for the management of RSOs in the community. They have support from local policing colleagues and other specialist departments.

Local Authority involvement is provided by Criminal Justice and Children and Families Social Work and housing departments, they can extend to encompass a broad range of services depending on the individual circumstances of offenders.

Scottish Prison Service is responsible for the management of RSOs while they are in custody, they contribute to inform risk assessment and risk management planning for offenders being released into the community following any period in custody.

Health Boards involvement is specific to individuals who are defined as ‘Restricted Patients’, these are predominantly individuals who are subject to detention in a hospital setting.

Health Boards are however also required to share information and assist in the arrangements for any other offender. This is where health information and expertise is relevant.

Further information about MAPPA can be found locally on each local authority website and nationally on the Scottish Government website.

Additional information in relation to MAPPA can be found on the Scottish Government website Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA): National guidance and the Management of Offenders etc. (Scotland) Act 2005.