Hundreds of Tayside children taken into care

Figures reveal challenge for Tayside’s protection services with 441 CPOs in five years

The full scale of the challenge facing child protection services in Tayside has been laid bare after new figures revealed an average of two children have to be taken into care each week.

Tayside’s three councils obtained 441 Child Protection Orders (CPOs) over the past five years.

CPOs grant councils the right to remove children from their homes and take them to a place of safety if they believe the child has been, or is likely to be, harmed.

They can also be granted if social workers’ investigations into a child’s care are being unreasonably blocked.

Angus Council obtained 42 CPOs in the last five years.

Two children a week are taken into care in Tayside because social workers believe they are in immediate danger if they remain in their homes.

Figures released through Freedom of Information legislation reveal 303 Child Protection Orders have been granted by the sheriff court in Dundee since 2012.

Only one request made by the council for a CPO was rejected during those five years.

Perth and Kinross Council obtained 95 CPOs in the last five years while Angus Council were granted 42.

Local authorities can apply for Child Protection Orders if they believe the child has been harmed or neglected or is in immediate danger of suffering significant harm or neglect.

They can also be granted if social workers’ investigations into a child’s care are being unreasonably blocked.

Once granted, they then have 24 hours to remove the child to a place of safety.

CPOs can also be granted to keep a child in a place, such as a hospital, rather than return them to a place where they may be at risk of harm.

Social workers and other agencies such as the police and health service will then carry out a child protection case conference to identify risks and create a plan to ensure the child’s protection.

In Dundee, the number granted by the courts has peaked in 2013/14, when they approved 79 requests.

In 2016-17, the last full financial year, 48 CPOs were granted – the lowest number in those five years.

Dundee City Council Children and Families Services convener Councillor Gregor Murray said Child Protection Orders are only sought if the child is thought to be in immediate danger.

The councillor added in the first instance social workers will always look to place a child with another relative before considering foster parents or placing the child in a home.”

“A Child Protection Order is only sought after a careful and thorough analysis of the individual circumstances of each child, and the professionals involved with the family must be satisfied that there is a risk of significant harm and immediate action is necessary,” said the convener.

“For the most vulnerable children in the city the child protection process may start pre-birth in order to ensure that newborns are not exposed to unnecessary harm or danger.

“An order is always sought in the best interests of the child and consideration is always given as to whether they can be placed with an appropriate relative in the first instance.”

Last week Perth and Kinross Council revealed it is to scrap children’s homes and instead place children who require care with foster families.

The scheme, which will be in place by next year, is modelled on one already in operation in North Yorkshire.

But the convener said Dundee City Council has no plans to follow suit.

The Strathmartine councillor said: “There will always be a demand for children’s homes for some children, and so we will not be considering closing these down.”

Labour Lochee councillor Michael Marra said social work budgets should be protected from future budget cuts.

He said: “Councils’ principle priorities should be the safety of children and financial constraints should have no bearing on that whatsoever.”

Unions rep Jim McFarlane added that social workers are under increased pressure due to increasing workloads.

Fife Council was asked for the number of CPOs it has been granted but has not yet responded to the Freedom of Information request.

Anorder is always soughtin the best interests of the child. COUNCILLOR GREGOR MURRAY