Report Summary
This report provides members of the Policing Performance Committee with an overview of Places of Safety for Children in Conflict with the Law – Post-Event Report.
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Meeting
The publication discussed was referenced in the meeting below
Policing Performance Committee - 15 June 2023
Date : 15 June 2023
Location : online
Work Underway & Future Development
Many of the themes that emerged from the event are not for Police Scotland or the Authority to consider in isolation. Rather, the majority would require enhanced partnership work and collaboration.
SPA and CJSD Officers continue to explore, with partners, how the themes that emerged from the event could be put into practice. Several discussions taken place between SPA, Police Scotland and Scottish Government colleagues.
The Scottish Government provided the following statement: ‘The Scottish Government agrees that police custody is not a suitable environment for children and is supportive of minimising it’s use as a place of safety for children in conflict with the law. Where this remains necessary, our shared aim should be for its use to be for as short a period as possible. We recognise the realisation of finding alternatives to police custody requires the involvement of a range of partners to ensure the development and delivery of local and national solutions.
The Scottish Government will continue to work proactively with all partners on this agenda. This includes progressing the Children Care and Justice (Scotland) Bill and exploring the supports partners will require for commencement and implementation, including consideration of places of safety for children who enter police custody and for those appearing at court.’
Following on from stakeholder event in November 2022, G Division, CYCJ, Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and East Dumbarton are organising a practitioner event to look at Places of Safety. It is being held on the 27 September in Glasgow City Chambers.
CYCJ & Social Work Scotland are also planning a follow up event in November 2023
Both Police Scotland and the Authority will continue to work with partners to consider how themes that emerged from the event can be adopted. In the meantime, Police Scotland continue to have rigorous controls in place to ensure that only in exceptional circumstances will a child be brought into police custody. Should the situation arise that a child is brought into custody additional safeguards are in place to ensure the care and welfare of that child.
