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Some young people and their families will need advice and support from our social work services to deal with difficulties at stages in their lives.

To make sure we meet these needs we set out the standards of care you can expect to receive if you use our social work services.

Rights

Children and young people who use our social work services, have a right to be

• treated fairly with courtesy and respect
• involved in and informed of decisions and meetings that affect them and their family
• helped to understand decisions and to make their views known

and the right to

• complain and have any complaint addressed within an agreed timescale
• know that adults are responsible for their safety
• have their privacy respected and be told of information about them that is shared by the people working with them
• have their views listened to and taken into account.

Looked after or have disabilities

If a Children's Hearing decides that a child or young person should be looked after by us, or if they are to receive a service because they are affected by disability, they will

• receive a visit from their key worker or social worker within 15 days
• have a care plan that says how their needs will be met and will be helped to reach their potential
• have their care plan reviewed at regular intervals
• continue to receive services until these are no longer required
• always have an opportunity to speak with their social worker on their own.

Cared for away from home

If children and young people are cared for away from home, we will do our best to

• give them a choice of placement or family
• keep the number of changes of worker to a minimum.

We will

• tell them about our arrangements if they run away or go missing from their care placement
• identify and celebrate their achievements and successes.

Children and young people cared for away from home will be

• able to give feedback about the services they receive and this will be taken into account by the Council when developing services for the future
• placed together with their brothers and sisters whenever this is possible and in their best interests
• registered with a GP and a dentist and their health needs will be identified and met
• supported to achieve their potential at school.

They

• should feel safe and secure in any care placement that is provided for them
• receive a support service as they move into adulthood, ensuring that they continue to be supported and have opportunities to make successful choices about the next stages of their life, including employment and training
• have access to a Children's Rights Officer and the 'Who Cares? Scotland ' service who will be able to advocate on their behalf
• have the opportunity to discuss their care plan and express their views.

Protection concerns

If a child or young person is the subject of a child protection investigation or if their name is placed on the Child Protection Register, we will

• respond quickly to concerns about their safety and well-being
• work closely with staff from other agencies and organisations to help keep them safe
• meet regularly to review progress in keeping them safe
• keep them fully informed of meetings and decisions and help them to understand these.

Children or young people in this situation will be

• able to give their views to meetings, or have their views represented if they do not want to attend or are too young
• seen by a key adult at least every week with an opportunity to talk in private.

Their safety will be the primary consideration of staff working with them and their family.