The Children and Young People (Scotland)\u00a0Act 2014\u00a0ensures a single planning framework \u2013 a Child\u2019s Plan \u2013 will be available for children who require extra support that is not generally available to address a child or young person\u2019s needs and improve their wellbeing.<\/p>\n
The Child\u2019s Plan is part of the GIRFEC approach to promote,support and safeguard the wellbeing of children and young people. The Scottish Government is working with Parliament to agree a timetable to enable commencement in 2018.<\/p>\n
Every plan, should include and record:<\/p>\n
A Child\u2019s Plan will also record who will coordinate the support. This person is known as the Lead Professional for the plan who will work with the child and their parent(s) to keep them informed.<\/p>\n
Overall responsibility for delivering a Child\u2019s Plan sits with an organisation, such as a health board, local authority or independent school. The\u00a0Lead Professional\u00a0will ensure\u00a0the Child\u2019s Plan is managed properly. The Lead Professional will;<\/p>\n
The Lead Professional will be a practitioner who is chosen because they have the right skills and experience to ensure the Child’s Plan is taken forward properly, and who can work with the child, their parents, their Named Person and other services supporting the child.<\/p>\n
Information about a child\u2019s needs, specific circumstances and the help they have already received may be shared with the Lead Professional and other services involved in the Child\u2019s Plan. The child and parent(s) will know what information is being shared, with whom and for what purpose, and their views will be taken into account. This may not happen in exceptional cases, such as where there is a concern for the safety of a child or someone else.<\/p>\n
A Child\u2019s Plan will be available for a child who needs extra support that is not generally available to address their needs and improve their wellbeing. A Child’s Plan will also be put in place where there are child protection measures.<\/p>\n
It will help services to co-ordinate additional help offered to a child, tailored to meet their specific needs and circumstances.<\/p>\n
It will be coordinated by a Lead Professional who will work with the child, parents and those supporting the child to ensure that the plan is taken forward to meet the needs identified.<\/p>\n
information\u00a0about why the plan has been created, what it is aiming to achieve, and the actions to be taken to improve the child\u2019s wellbeing.<\/p>\n
A child\u2019s Named Person will usually be their health visitor for pre-school children or a promoted teacher – such as their head or guidance teacher – for school aged children.<\/p>\n