ALL public service workers and the wider public have responsibilities to help keep children safe, Cabinet Secretary for Education, Angela Constance said today.
In a keynote address to an international social work conference in Edinburgh, the Cabinet Secretary also pledged to put in place a programme of action with local authorities and child protection partners by next February to strengthen their response to children facing crises.
Ms Constance said: “For too long, our society has left the vital role of protecting children to others, particularly to social work. We need to change that.
“We need to make sure the responsibility for keeping our children safe is not left to one part of the children’s workforce, but is the responsibility of everyone working in public services.
“Indeed, that responsibility is not just for the workforce – we need every adult to be prepared to do more for vulnerable children in their community.
“We must ensure that we all create and support safe environments for children to grow up in and that people step in, act, stand up and be counted whenever they see or know a child at risk.”
