Lots of children receive help or support from health services or from their school from time to time, and this will continue to be the case.
However if a child or young person does need some extra support, which is more specialist (like access to mental health services or respite care), the new law says that the professionals working with the child will need to prepare and co-ordinate support through a Single Child’s Plan.
This will be done in discussion with the child and their parents and families, and reviewed regularly.
It will use eight words to describe wellbeing (‘safe’; ‘healthy’; ‘achieving’; ‘nurtured’; ‘active’; ‘respected’; ‘responsible’ and ‘included’).
These are a starting point to identify strengths and pressures in a child’s life. Services must work together to put the Single Child’s Plan into practice.
To find out more about the Child’s Plan visit the Scottish Government’s Child’s Plan webpage here