Fears children are not being protected from harm

Young people in Scotland are "not being sufficiently protected from harm", the children's commissioner has warned.

MSPs are to consider a petition calling for an inquiry into child safeguarding concerns and new whistleblowing powers in the education sector.

Scotland's children's commissioner said lessons have "not been fully learned" from recent inquiries and gaps still exist in child protection guidance.

Scottish ministers said they recently comprehensively updated the guidance.

Holyrood's public petitions committee will on Wednesday consider a call for an independent probe into concerns that child safeguarding concerns across Scotland have been mishandled by public bodies.

The petition is also calling for an independent national whistleblowing officer for education similar to the one ministers created for the NHS to make it easier for people with concerns to come forward.

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In its response to the petition, the Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland pointed to the issue of physical restraint in schools and the handling of child assault allegations in the Borders as two examples of areas where improvements need to be made.

It said: "We have met with the Scottish government to discuss ongoing concerns about children not being sufficiently protected from harm.

"These concerns derive from substantive pieces of work undertaken by the [commissioner's] office, including our investigation into restraint and seclusion, and individual cases that have been brought to our attention by children, families and professionals.

"We identified a number of gaps in the national guidance and a need for stronger accountability mechanisms."

The commissioner added that the creation of a national independent whistleblowing officer for education and children's services would "merit further exploration".

Campaigners want the remit of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, which is chaired by Lady Smith, to be changed to cover state schools

The petition was submitted by a group of whistleblowing champions who, in a statement ahead of committee hearing, said it was their belief that a "greater level of scrutiny and action is required on matters relating to child protection and child abuse in Scotland - past and present".

It added: "There has been much media coverage on wider and related child protection issues.

"This includes developments with the brave Edinburgh Academy and Fornethy House survivors, highlighting gaps in the current child abuse inquiry and the fact that survivor voices need to be better heard.

"We therefore continue to stress - how can there be justice for any survivors or certainty about current child protection, the people and systems in place - if unresolved allegations about past and present child abuse cover-ups are not independently and thoroughly investigated?"

Acting on concerns

Campaigners want the remit of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry to be changed to cover state schools but the Scottish government has said that such an extension would considerably delay its conclusion.

In her response to the petition Natalie Don, the Minister for Children and Young People, said the Scottish government was "committed to ensure that all children and young people grow up loved, safe and respected, through a consistent approach to care and protection".

She added: "The national child protection guidance in Scotland 2021 is a comprehensive update of the previous 2014 version and was developed through a collaborative process informed by extensive public and stakeholder engagement, including a Scottish government consultation.

"We expect everyone working with children to identify and act on any concerns to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the children concerned."