Child protection committee

A Child Protection Committee (CPC) is a strategic, multi-agency partnership bringing together senior representatives from the public, private, and third sectors. In Orkney, this includes education and children's services, housing, legal services, NHS Orkney, Police Scotland, the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA), local voluntary and third sector organisations, and other key local bodies.

Membership is broad, reflecting the full range of children's services across Orkney, and is regularly reviewed. Every local authority in Scotland has its own Child Protection Committee. 

In February 2019, the Scottish Government published guidance on Child Protection Committee and Chief Officer responsibilities, setting out four key functions:

• Continuous improvement
• Public information, engagement, and participation
• Strategic planning and connections
• Annual reporting on the committee's work

The Role of the OPPC

The Orkney Public Protection Committee (OPPC) is Orkney's main strategic forum for inter-agency child protection work. We aim to raise awareness among staff in all agencies working with children about the possibility of abuse and neglect, and to promote the highest standards of joint working to protect vulnerable children. We also play a key role in assessing how well local services work together for this purpose, and in helping the wider community understand how to recognise and report concerns.

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