PE1979: Establish an independent inquiry and an independent national whistleblowing officer to investigate concerns about the alleged mishandling of child safeguarding enquiries by public bodies.
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to launch an independent inquiry to examine: concerns that allegations about child protection, child abuse, safeguarding, and children’s rights have been mishandled by public bodies, including local authorities and the General Teaching Council Scotland (GTCS); gaps in the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry; and establish an independent national whistleblowing officer for Education and Children’s Services in Scotland to handle these enquiries in the future.
Accountability Scotland comment as follows:
We support PE1979 along the lines that we often have members of the public approaching re safeguarding concerns as the current system is not working.
As we see it there ar two options:
- to get the current system fixed,
- to get yet another regulator / complaint handler.
Our view is that the current system needs to be fixed. Please see our petition Petition PE01964 - Survey of the SPSO 17 March 2020.
There have been several submissions which can be read here. Then click on the "plus sign" beside Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee Consideration.
Please see the Anonymous submission of 22 December 2022.