Scottish government invests in high-tech child protection

Education secretary Fiona Hyslop has announced the development of an electronic system designed to improve standards of child protection in Scotland by facilitating the rapid sharing of information.

The £1.5m technology, named the Vulnerable Persons System (VPS) is based on the existing violent and sex offender Register (ViSOR) but focuses specifically on collating information on vulnerable people from all relevant agencies in a form that improves access and communication. It is intended to become operational throughout 2010 and 2011.

Mrs Hyslop said: “Scotland already has the most robust child protection inspection system in the UK but it is imperative that we continue to ensure quick, effective support is put in place for vulnerable people.”

Failures in child protection often become critical in high profile and sensitive cases such as the recent death of Brandon Muir in Dundee. Findings from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) into child protection in Dundee, which may point to short-comings in the Muir case have not yet been published, but Hyslop discussed how the VPS system would hope to reduce some of the difficulties faced in similar cases.

She said: “The sickening death of little Brandon Muir has been a terrible reminder to us all why safeguards for Scotland's children are so important. His killer only moved into the family home weeks before, showing how quickly circumstances can change and why it is vital agencies get the most up-to-date information possible.”

The initiative, which mirrors several other recent developments and reforms to improve Scottish child protection, will provide particular support for police services.

Deputy chief constable Neil Richardson, chair of ACPOS Information Management Project, explained his support for the system: “Understanding a vulnerable person's needs and identification of the escalating risk gives us opportunities to make the earliest intervention in partnership with our colleagues in social services, education and health."

Child protection workers can also expect to benefit from the reduction in bureaucracy.

Harriet Dempster, vice president of the Association of Directors of Social Work in Scotland (ADSW) said: “It will, when operational, remove the need for photocopying and faxing paper-work to enable the speedy exchange of key information and at the same time release front line staff to do more direct work."

VPS will work in combination with similar government wide initiatives such as the £14.9m eCare framework, also focused on electronic cohesion of personal data and knowledge.