The Role of Safeguarders in Scotland. Scotland's Children: Children (Scotland) Act 1995. Research Findings.

Safeguarders are persons with a relevant professional background who may be appointed by child welfare authorities when required to safeguard the interests of the child in the proceedings. Safeguarders offer support and advice, and provide written reports for children's hearings and sometimes for court cases. This study evaluated the use and operation of safeguarders in Scotland. Methods of data collection included national surveys of safeguarders and others, individual interviews and groups discussion with representatives of safeguarders and other relevant groups, interviews with children and parents following observation of hearings with a safeguarder present, and a comparative case record study covering 67 safeguarder cases and 48 non-safeguarder cases. Among the main findings are the following: The great majority of participants were positive about safeguarders' involvement in hearings. They also valued highly the work carried out and the reports written by safeguarders. In most areas, those responsible for the administration of safeguarders and of children's hearings regarded the supply of safeguarders as adequate. Two-thirds of safeguarders brought immediately relevant expertise to the role from their current or previous work, but many wanted more substantial training and detailed guidance. Four-fifths of safeguarders thought that remuneration levels were too low. Safeguarders received little support in their work and scant feedback on their performance. Monitoring arrangements were limited and local authority panel administrators usually had little knowledge of safeguarders' performance. Children and parents had a partial understanding of the safeguarder's role. (KB)