Top official quizzed on Perth & Kinross child protection absences

Council bosses in Perth & Kinross are being quizzed over shocking absence rates at the local child protection committee.

Conservative MSP Liz Smith says she is “seeking reassurances” when she meets local authority chief executive Thomas Glen and his senior staff.

An investigation by The Courier revealed in September there had been an average of 11 “apologies” per meeting of the Perth and Kinross child protection committee (CPC) since the start of 2020.

The committee, which co-ordinates and oversees services for the area’s most vulnerable youngsters, has 22 core members and a further six who are correspondence-only.

The pandemic was initially blamed as one reason for the attendance rate, but the absences at Perth and Kinross CPC were far higher than many other committees.

The average of 11 “apologies” per meeting compared to an average of under two at Aberdeen’s child protection committee in the same period, about three at the Aberdeenshire and Moray committees, under five at Highland, six in Argyll and Bute and under seven in Fife.

Of all the Scottish groups north of the Central Belt, only Dundee and Angus came close to the level of absences at Perth and Kinross, recording an average close to 10 and nine, respectively.

Internal auditors also highlighted an inconsistent representation from NHS members of the Perth and Kinross committee, in an otherwise positive review.

Ms Smith, a Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, said: “I will be seeking reassurances from Mr Glen that the situation reported by The Courier back in September is properly addressed.”

Ms Smith previously raised her concerns about the attendance rate in the Scottish Parliament.

Children and Young People Minister Clare Haughey later wrote to the MSP on the issue.

She said: “Officials from Scottish Government’s Child Protection Unit have discussed this matter with the chair of the P&K CPC and are reassured by the information they have gathered.”

In September, a spokeswoman for the committee said it was scheduled to meet every two months and continued to do so throughout the pandemic.

A smaller “working group” drawn from committee members met more frequently during the early stages of the pandemic to consider issues relating to the safety, protection and wellbeing of children, young people and families.

She said: “The increased pressures on some key services and agencies who have membership on the committee have been recognised and acknowledged throughout the pandemic.

“On occasions this has impacted their ability to attend some CPC meetings. Where that was the case, apologies were noted and updates on essential matters provided.”

MSP Liz Smith is “seeking reassurances”.