Report published on joint inspection of services for children and young people at risk of harm in Moray

In a report published today (23 January 2024), staff working with local children, young people and families have been recognised for their knowledge, skills and ability to recognise, report and respond to concerns.

The inspection into the effectiveness of services within the Moray Community Planning Partnership to protect children and young people was led by the Care Inspectorate.

Inspectors evaluated the overall impact of services as adequate. The report did find that improvement was needed in ensuring young people at risk of harm to themselves or others consistently receive the right help and support they need to improve their lives. Additionally, improvement was needed to increase opportunities for children and young people to influence service planning and delivery and ensure access to independent advocacy was consistently available.

Fred McBride, Independent Chair of Moray’s Child Protection Committee, said: “Since joining the Moray Children’s Services Partnership in March 2023, I've been really impressed with how different professionals in Moray are working together to keep children and young people safe. On behalf of the Child Protection Committee, I want to express my thanks to all staff for their commitment, hard work and professionalism.

“Through delivery of our three-year Moray Children's Services Plan, we will make sure children and young people have a say in all key decisions which affect their lives, that we are improving services to support the wellbeing of the whole family, and have in place effective supports for young people who might be a risk to themselves or others.”

The Moray Child Protection Committee will submit an improvement plan to the Care Inspectorate in March 2024. The inspection report is available on the Care Inspectorate website.