Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) refresh

At today’s Education Committee (Thursday 12 September 2024), Members noted the work being undertaken to refresh Highland’s approach to GIRFEC based upon the guidance launched by the Scottish Government. 

Education Committee Chair, Cllr John Finlayson said: “GIRFEC is an evidence-based, internationally recognised and child-rights-based approach. It is locally embedded and positively embraced by organisations, services, and practitioners across Education & Children’s Services Planning Partnerships. Its focus is on changing culture, systems, and practice for the benefit of babies, infants, children, young people, and their families.

“The report considered today, outlines the current work being undertaken in Highland to review and refresh our own practice in line with the national guidance, to ensure our practice is aligned with national recommendations and expectations.

“Training both in person and online to enable Education staff to embed the GIRFEC principles and to refresh understanding has taken place throughout 2023/24 and will continue throughout 2024/25.”

Changes to the National Practice Model

The refreshed National Practice Model contains key changes which are reflected in the Highland revised guidance and procedures:

• Greater emphasis on child-centred, rights-respecting, strengths-based practice and the inclusion of children, young people and their families at every stage of the process.
• Simpler language identified which can be used when working together with children, young people and families.
• A deeper understanding of the impact of trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in considering the My World Triangle.

Delivering the changes to Education staff

A series of nine, 3 hour in-person workshops were provided in May and June 2024, to enable practitioners to engage with other colleagues in discussion, to become more familiar with the GIRFEC principles and to refresh their understanding.

284 practitioners from a range of services attended these workshops and provided feedback on them, to enable changes to be made for a second series of sessions planned for 2024-25.

In addition to the workshops, an e-learning module has been created for practitioners to complete prior to attendance. By June 2024, 285 practitioners had completed this module.

Feedback has informed slight revisions to the e-module.

It is intended that this e-module will be able to be used as part of the induction training for all staff new in post, who will be working with children and young people, as well as continuing to be a pre-requisite for more experienced staff who sign up for the in-person multi-agency sessions.

The refreshed interagency Highland guidance is available here.