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August 29, 2014 By Marjory Blair

Comment on Rotherham Child Abuse Scandal

With the shocking news that 1400 children are thought to have been abused in Rotherham we discuss Scotland’s systems – can they prevent a similar scandal here?


Child upsetFew can have escaped the shocking news that some 1400 children are thought to have been abused in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013. Apparently 30% of the victims were already known to social services.

In Scotland, unlike in the other parts of the United Kingdom, we have the Children’s Hearings system. Children’s Hearings are conducted by a Reporter. The Reporter is independent of the Social Work Department. One of the Reporter’s roles is to decide whether or not to refer a particular child to a Children’s Hearing. A child will be referred if it is felt that compulsory measures of care are required to protect that child from risk. The Reporter receives and considers referrals for children. Referrals can be made for a variety of reasons and by a variety of agencies (for example Social Work, Education, Police and the Courts) and in respect of a variety of concerns about children. For example:-

  • If the child is thought to be suffering from lack of parental care
  • If a child has failed without reasonable excuse to attend school
  • If a child is in a household with another person who has offended against a child
  • If the child has committed an offence
  • If the child has abused drink or drugs

A child failing to attend school without reasonable excuse can often be a sign of underlying problems. Similarly, children coming to the attention of authorities because of alcohol and drug abuse can flag up underlying issues. It is to be hoped that with our unique Children’s Hearing system early and independent intervention with children at risk plays a pivotal part in avoiding the wide scale abuse that has obviously been prevalent in Rotherham.

The membership of the Children’s Hearing panel, is made up of lay people, and this brings a wide breadth and depth of social knowledge and experience to the hearing system and it is hoped will lead to informed and sensible decisions being made for children. The panel members are independent of the Reporter and of the Social Work Department. It is hoped that this additional layer of independence will again provide a level of objectivity that will help to avoid what appears to have been large-scale child abuse, for our children in Scotland.

In a further move to try to improve the outcomes for children, the Scottish Government have recently passed the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, which provides for the introduction of a “named person” to promote the wellbeing of every child in Scotland between birth and 18 years. The named person, who will probably come from the fields of health and education, will be, among other things a point of contact for other agencies wishing information about a particular child and will help that child access appropriate services. The idea is to get service provision right for all children in Scotland, and to achieve earlier and joined up intervention. The risk is that failings might be perpetuated if the service provision is not regularly and independently scrutinised. It is anticipated that the statutory duties will come into force sometime in 2016.

More to Read

broken heartDomestic abuse is being taken seriously in Scotland – advice for victims For-those-accused-of-domestic-abuseDomestic abuse is to be reformed in Scotland – what happens if you find a false allegation being made against you? broken heartChanging Attitudes to Domestic Abuse Child Contact - What's best for your child?Child contact – what’s best for your child?

Filed Under: Children and Family, Family Law in the News Tagged With: Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, Children's Hearings, named person, Rotherham, Rotherham Child Abuse

Marjory Blair

Marjory Blair

Marjory is our Family Law Senior Associate based in our Glasgow office. She is Collaboratively trained and has a broad experience in all Family Law matters including separation and divorce, pre-and postnuptial agreements, cohabitation claims, child protection and adoption including international adoption. Read Marjory's professional biography.

What our clients say

Highly professional and excellent services

Debbie, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the highly professional and excellent services I received from yourself and your team.

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You have smoothed the pathway with your efficiency

Amanda…May I take this opportunity to thank you for your help in these matters. Although I am a resilient person, it has not been easy, but you have smoothed the pathway with your efficiency…

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Excellent communications and support

Many thanks for your recent work related to my divorce…..I would particularly like to thank Amanda Richardson for her excellent communications and support.

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Outstanding job…

Marjory… you are doing an outstanding job… Thanks again for your support and expertise in helping me navigate through this horrible situation. I really appreciate it.

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Great service

Beverley thank you so much for all your hard work and making things run as smoothly as possible. Great service.

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Highly professional and meticulous in detail

Highly professional and meticulous in detail. No shortcuts or compromises involved, ensuring all eventualities were covered and underwritten with third-party expertise where appropriate.

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I would like to thank my exceptional Scottish team

My dear legal team! I have been writing this letter of thanks in my head since about two months ago, and didn’t know it would take a bit longer than expected to actually be able to express my deep gratitude to you ALL for winning this tough and enduring process for me……I would like to… Read more “I would like to thank my exceptional Scottish team”

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Thank you for your professionalism and talent

Thanks Debbie, as always, for your professionalism and talent, it has been a pleasure.

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Their service and support has been excellent

After quite a complex case, I can say that their service and support has been excellent.

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I have come out of the process a much stronger person

I would have no hesitation recommending Lesley Gordon to anyone I know who needs the services of a divorce lawyer. It was a very positive experience all things considered and I have come out of the process a much stronger person thanks to Lesley.

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After all these years I’m finally free

Thank you so so much Amanda. Actually there’s no words to thank you. I feel great. After all these years I’m finally free. Thank you.

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I would recommend you to anyone

Hi Marjory and Keira, I just want to thank you both for taking me through this terrible time in my life. I have learned a lot in the past 3 years with dealing with BTO and I would recommend you to anyone as you have been very fair and honest with all parties concerned.

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Efficient and smooth service

Debbie, could I take this opportunity to thank you for the efficient and smooth service you have provided, and particularly, in our first meeting when you listened to my concerns and really helped explain things and put my mind at ease.

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An Excellent Lawyer…

Beverley thanks for all your assistance with everything. It’s much appreciated and rest assured should I ever need an excellent lawyer in the future you will be the first to be called.

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My recent collaborative process

Dear Marjory, I just wanted to say a huge thanks for all your help, advice and counsel throughout my recent collaborative process. You definitely made a difficult process easier for me. Thank you.

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Thanks for all the expert guidance through a trying situation

Hi Marjory, my daughter and her son are doing great. Everything seems to have calmed down. She and her husband finished the mediation process after a couple of visits as they both felt they had to step up to the mark for their son’s sake not for personal reasons. Once again thanks for all the… Read more “Thanks for all the expert guidance through a trying situation”

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Very approachable manner

Many thanks Marjory for your very approachable manner during our meetings.

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I will definitely recommend you…

Hi Marjory, thanks again for being an absolute joy to work with during this unknown and nerve-wracking process. You made me feel calm and reassured throughout (not an easy task). I will definitely recommend you to anyone else looking for representation.

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All starting to come together…

Thanks Marjory, it’s all starting to come together.. thanks to you…:)

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Forever I will be grateful…

Marjory, forever I will be grateful and thankful to you for all the hard work you did for me and my family. Thank you very much again and again. I am so very blessed in life that I found a lovely understanding person like you. Not many lawyers would say go and have a cup… Read more “Forever I will be grateful…”

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Financial knowledge and gravitas

Lesley has financial knowledge and gravitas. I think she is faultless.

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Wonderful job

I would like to thank you Lesley again for the wonderful job you and your team did for me at a very difficult time in my life.

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Approachable and sensitive manner

Marjory, thank you very much for your very approachable and sensitive manner during our meetings.

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I still get to see my kids 3 times a week

Just wanted to say a huge thank you for your help and representation today. It’s such a relief to hear that I still get to see my kids 3 times a week. Also last but by no means least can you pass on my profound gratitude to Counsel who was a star !!!!

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I am eternally grateful

I am in no doubt I have made the correct choice by having BTO Solicitors represent me in such a difficult time. I am under no illusion you and your team will continue to do the best for me in future. Many many thanks for today. I am eternally grateful.

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I certainly feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders

Marjory, I just wanted to say thanks very much for your help right throughout the case. Lately, the ad hoc support has been invaluable and given me the confidence to keep representing myself and not feel pushed into agreeing something I’m not comfortable with. I appreciate how difficult it must be to provide support when… Read more “I certainly feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders”

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Help guiding us through a very stressful time

I would like to thank you again for all your work and help guiding us through a very stressful time.

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We would not have managed this without you

Marjory, I think we can all honestly say that we would not have managed this without you, truly you have been an absolute star and we are all very thankful.

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I won’t hesitate to put them in touch with you

Looking back I wish my ex-wife and I would have gone down the collaborative divorce path but as you know she chose a very different way which ended up being most certainly a longer, more stressful and more expensive path for both of us. Should I ever hear of anyone whose marriage has reached that… Read more “I won’t hesitate to put them in touch with you”

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From our first meeting, I felt confident…

Hi Debbie, I wanted to take this opportunity to pass on my gratitude to you for getting me through this. From our first meeting, I felt confident and assured to be in your safe hands and that never changed during the last 18 months. Whilst it is a great relief to have this finished I… Read more “From our first meeting, I felt confident…”

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I left the offices empowered and liberated

Just wanted to say huge thank you to Lesley Gordon. I left the offices empowered and liberated. Not sure any psychologist would have done a better job! On top of her real job.

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Risk assessed everything

They explained everything to me very clearly and we looked at every permutation and possible outcome and risk assessed everything.

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Our anxieties were greatly alleviated

Lesley, thank you so much for all your help. It turned out to be a very uncomplicated matter in the end and probably not the most interesting for you. However our anxieties were greatly alleviated with your advice and work

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Your advice has been incredibly helpful

Beverley thank you for everything you’ve done regarding my case and for your assistance in getting the many issues resolved and matters concluded. Your advice has been incredibly helpful and greatly appreciated. Should I require any further assistance, I will be in touch.

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I was very pleased with how things went today

Hi Beverley – I would just like to email you to thank you for your services today and commend you on doing a stellar job. I was very pleased with how things went today. The level of professionalism you showed was much to my satisfaction and greatly appreciated. I felt very relaxed at having you… Read more “I was very pleased with how things went today”

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Guiding me through a difficult time

Lesley, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your professionalism. Guiding me through a difficult time, also your understanding and empathy as to my personal situation. I would not hesitate in recommending your services to others.

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Always appreciated being able to rely fully on you and the team

Amanda and Lesley, thank you to you both for all your help, now and during last year, and, as I said before, I have always appreciated being able to rely fully on you and the team at all times. Obviously, a very sad time for me but I am relieved that it is at an… Read more “Always appreciated being able to rely fully on you and the team”

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Things have been finalised in about twelve weeks

Amanda, many thanks for seeing all this through for me. I cannot believe that after the best part of two and a half years of frustration (pre BTO), things have been finalised in about twelve weeks.

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Splendid work Marjory

Splendid work Marjory, it has been a treat to use BTO and your services.

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Help during this extremely difficult time

Debbie, I would just like to thank you for your help during this extremely difficult time. I really appreciate it.

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I came out of your offices feeling great!

Marjory, thank you for a really positive meeting on Friday. I feel things are a lot clearer in my head – I came out of your offices feeling great!

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Email
familylaw@bto.co.uk

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We are award winning family and divorce lawyers based in Edinburgh and Glasgow and covering the whole of Scotland, including cross border issues, specialising in divorce and all aspects of child and family law. Learn More

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