Child protection systems should ensure that no child falls through the net, but when a child does fall through the gaps in universal systems or more targeted early intervention schemes, the results can be devastating.
In 2011, for example, eight-year-old Dylan Seabridge tragically died from scurvy in Pembrokeshire. An inquest heard that Dylan was ‘invisible’ to local authorities because he was home-schooled. Meanwhile, the EU’s criminal intelligence agency Europol has warned that up to 10,000 refugee children have disappeared since arriving in Europe, a chilling reminder of how easy it is for vulnerable children to fall under the radar.
In Scotland, the government hopes its Named Person policy will go some way to ensuring that all children and families have someone who works with them, and who they can approach for help or advice if they need it. The policy was introduced by the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, and is part of Scotland’s Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) policy framework.
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