GIRFEC Key Elements

Wellbeing 

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 introduces a description of how people working with children, young people and parents understand and consider a child or young person's wellbeing. 

Wellbeing is broader than child protection and how we tend to think about welfare. 

Child’s ‘My Plan’   

Not every child will require a My Plan, but when a child or young person needs more support than is more generally available, a My Plan will be agreed in consultation with children, young people and their families. 

The Child's ‘My Plan’ will bring together current planning processes into a single planning process to ensure that plans are coordinated and tailored to meet the specific needs and circumstances of individual children. 

A My Plan will record who will coordinate the support. This person is known as the lead professional for the plan and they will work with the child and their parent(s) to keep them informed. 

Key roles in GIRFEC 

Named Person 

Every child has a Named Person: 

• Early years: Health Visitor 
• School age: Head Teacher, Depute Head Teacher or delegated Principal Teacher

They

• provide advice and support 
• monitor wellbeing 
• help coordinate early support 
• be a point of contact for families 

Lead professional 

Where multi-agency support is required, a Lead Professional may be appointed. They

• coordinate the Team Around the Child 
• lead the My Plan 
• act as the main contact for the family 

Links to local practice and services

GIRFEC underpins all children’s services in Clackmannanshire, including

• Early intervention and prevention 
• Multi-agency working (eg STRIVE) 
• Child protection processes 
• Education, health and social work collaboration