Orkney Chief Officers’ Group (Public Protection) (COG)
Public Protection
2023-25
Keeping our people safe Working together for Orkney Islands
IMAGE: The Orkney Public Protection Committee logo consists of concentric blue, burgundy, orange and green shapes. The cover also displays the text “Orkney Chief Officer’ Group (Public Protection) (COG)”, “Public Protection”, “2023-25”, and “Keeping our people safe Working together for Orkney Islands”.
The Chief Officers’ Group (Public Protection) who we are and what we do.
Welcome
Everyone deserves to grow up and live their lives free from harm.
Public protection is about us all working together to keep vulnerable young and older people safe.
The Chief Officers’ Group (Public Protection) – hereafter referred to as “COG” - brings together agencies with a role to play in public protection: from Police Scotland to the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration, from Orkney Islands Council to NHS Orkney, including the Orkney Health and Social Care Partnership, and from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to our voluntary sector partners.
Our role is to provide strategic leadership in developing effective public protection services for people at risk of harm in Orkney.
Individually we are responsible for the public protection services delivered by our own organisations.
Together we are responsible for developing and delivering the best services possible through partnership working.
Our Vision
Keeping people in Orkney safe through effective partnership working
IMAGE: A photograph shows two young children riding in a colourful fairground attraction.
Public Protection
Public protection is about working with both victims and perpetrators to reduce the risk of harm to children, adults and the public.
It is about raising awareness and understanding of harm and what to do to put an end to it.
Public protection is about agencies working effectively together, to link efforts among organisations, share best practice and together provide support that reduces risk to vulnerable people.
The work of the COG focuses on the Six areas below.
- Adult Support and Protection Sub-Committee
- Gender Based Violence Partnership
- Alcohol and Drugs Partnership
- MAPPA
- Child Protection Sub-Committee
- Learning and Development Sub-Committee
IMAGE: A diagram places the Orkney Public Protection Committee logo at the centre, connected to six areas: Adult Support and Protection Sub-Committee, Gender Based Violence Partnership, Alcohol and Drugs Partnership, MAPPA, Child Protection Sub-Committee, and Learning and Development Sub-Committee. A strip of photographs shows older people, a parent and child, a young person using a mobile phone, and a baby.
Orkney Public Protection Committee
The Orkney Public Protection Committee is a multi-agency partnership focused on keeping children and young people and adults in Orkney safe from harm.
This involves a broad range of partners who collectively promote that vision, establish effective policies and practices and monitor the delivery and impact of those services.
Its work targets better outcomes for vulnerable children and their families and the Committee works intensively with the other protection committees and partnerships in Orkney to deliver those outcomes.
Child Protection Sub-Committee
The Orkney Public Protection Committee monitors and reviews what is happening in Orkney to safeguard our children through the Child Protection Sub-Committee. This Sub-Committee is made up of senior staff from many of our agencies involved in the protection of children who may be at risk. This Sub-Committee includes staff from the Council, Education, the NHS, the Police and members of our Third Sector.
The focus of the Sub-Committee is to look at the work being done in Orkney to support and protect children at risk to make sure we and all the different agencies in Orkney are working well together. The Sub-Committee is also supporting Scotland to achieve “The Promise” so that all children in Scotland “grow up Loved, Safe and Respected.”
IMAGE: A photograph shows children and teenagers using scooters and skateboards at a skate park.
Adult Support and Protection Sub-Committee
The Orkney Public Protection Committee also monitors and reviews what is happening in Orkney to safeguard adults through the Adult Support and Protection Sub-Committee. It is made up of senior staff from many of the agencies involved in protecting adults who may be at risk including staff from the Council, the NHS and the Police.
The Sub-Committee’s main focus is to look at the work being done in Orkney to support and protect adults at risk and make sure all the different agencies are working well together to achieve this.
IMAGE: A photograph shows an older person’s hands resting on a walking stick.
Orkney Alcohol and Drugs Partnership
The Orkney Alcohol and Drugs Partnership (ADP) brings together a range of agencies and communities working to prevent and support recovery from the harmful use of alcohol and drugs. The ADP aims to maximise health in Orkney and support individuals, families and communities to feel engaged and empowered to make healthier choices regarding alcohol and drugs. The ADP sets out the partnership’s strategy to deliver on its vision and aim, and commissions services from providers to deliver the outcomes set out within the strategy.
IMAGE: The Orkney Alcohol and Drugs Partnership logo contains the words “orkney alcohol and drugs partnership”. The word “partnership” is shown in black and red, with a red human figure forming part of the final letters.
Orkney Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA)
MAPPA is the multi-agency partnership framework that enables agencies to work together in the management of offenders. The focus for the partners is public safety and the reduction of serious harm to children, vulnerable adults and other potential victims. The partnership does this through effective assessment and management of risk posed by offenders subject to MAPPA supervision.
IMAGE: The Highlands & Islands Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements logo contains the words “HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS MULTI-AGENCY PUBLIC PROTECTION ARRANGEMENTS” and the acronym “MAPPA”.
Gender Based Violence Partnership
Orkney Partnership for Action Against Gender Based Violence and Abuse works at a local level as the key driver for multi-agency work to tackle domestic violence. Whilst this has been principally in relation to women and girls we are concerned about all forms of domestic violence.
Importantly, the partnership offers a single point of contact for the breadth of work being taken to tackle gender based violence on all levels and to avoid duplication of effort and resource.
The partnership is working on an integrated strategy that will link to the work of the other protection committees and partnerships to deliver an effective response and help end gender-based violence.
IMAGE: The Orkney Partnership for Action Against Gender Based Violence and Abuse logo shows a tree with leaves and roots. The text reads “ORKNEY PARTNERSHIP FOR ACTION AGAINST GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AND ABUSE”.
Learning and Development Sub-Committee
The Orkney Public Protection Committee Learning and Development Sub-Committee is one of a number of PPC Working Groups and Short Life Working Groups, which report directly to the Orkney Public Protection Committee.
The role of the Learning & Development Sub-Committee is to promote single and multi-agency quality assurance and self-evaluation, and to make continuous improvements to support, promote and empower good child protection practice.
This group has a variety of responsibilities to ensure staff have an active and engaging learning and development programme, which supports teams to be up to date with their training and any national changes. The group builds on what has been learned from the past to promote a positive future for the public in Orkney.
IMAGE: A photograph shows a group of people gathered around a table with a central training diagram labelled “TRAINING” and surrounded by the words “Learn”, “Development”, “Teaching”, “Coaching”, “Workshop”, “Knowledge” and “Skills”.
The Contribution of the Voluntary and Third Sector
The Third Sector in Orkney are valued by partners in the Orkney Public Protection Committee. They contribute third sector information and perspectives to local partnerships and statutory services, which is valuable in service delivery.
Age Scotland Orkney are the Third Sector representative on the Adult Support and Protection Quality Assurance Sub-Group.
IMAGE: The Age Scotland Orkney logo reads “VAO” and “Supporting The Orkney Community”.
What we do and why
For Children:
- Support services to ensure we all work towards the shared vision of “The Promise”, ensuring children grow up loved, safe and respected
- Protect the rights of the child and uphold the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
- Provide Child Protection Training aligned to national guidance across the partnership
- Contribute to national meetings around sharing, exchange and promoting child protection policy, practice and any areas of shared concern
- Promote opportunities for peer support and networking
- Contribute to the wider public protection agenda
- Support the collection and sharing of learning from Care Inspections
For Adults:
- Support the monitoring and review of local initiatives to safeguard adults within our communities
- Promote good communication, strengthen co-operational working, improve skills and knowledge
- Continually support improvement activity
- Promote opportunities for peer support and networking
- Contribute to the wider public protection agenda
- Provide information and advice on local and national policy, practice and guidance developments
- Support the collection and sharing of learning from Care Inspections
For our communities:
- Provide governance with support and appropriate challenge
- Co-ordinate strategic developments within Public Protection
- Link these activities to all future Joint Inspection requirements
- Ensure there are clear lines of accountability to other plans
- Consider performance, monitoring and improvement activity
- Ensure there is a clear communication and staff engagement
- Share learning across communities and public protection agencies
Who we report to
The COG reports to the Orkney Partnership Board and presents an annual plan describing our priorities, what we have done in the previous year, and our plans going forward.
The Structure of reporting to COG is complicated with many areas being asked for input and considerations into local developments and agendas. Below shows the public protection route with 3 main sub committees but also the flow of information from other areas. Typically, information flows from committees to the Public Protection Committee first before being shared with COG however, the third sector can also present papers directly to COG when needed.
IMAGE: A reporting structure diagram shows the Chief Officers Group at the top, linked to the Orkney Public Protection Committee. The committee is linked to the Child Protection Sub-Committee, Adult Protection Sub-Committee, and Learning & Development Sub Committee. Other groups shown on the left are Third and Voluntary Sectors, Alcohol and Drugs Partnership, Gender Based Violence Partnership, and MAPPA. The diagram includes a note: “Orange box should read ‘Adult Support and Protection Sub-Committee’.” A strip of photographs shows people gathered outdoors, a child’s toy being carried, older people cycling, and a young person.
Core Membership of COG:
| Designation Core Members |
|---|
| Chief Executive of Orkney Islands Council |
| Chief Executive of NHS Orkney |
| Divisional Commander of N Division Police Scotland |
| Chief Officer of the Integration Joint Board |
The quorum for each meeting is four members, Council, NHS Orkney, Police Scotland, Integration Joint Board.
Additional support is provided from a variety of different staff across the partnership. Some examples of these staff can include:
- Corporate Director for Education, Leisure and Housing, Orkney Islands Council
- Chief Social Work Officer, Orkney Islands Council
- Independent Chair of the Public Protection Committee
- Chief Executive of Voluntary Action Orkney
- Head of Legal and Governance, Orkney Islands Council
- Representative from Highlands and Islands MAPPA Strategic Oversight Group
- Executive Director of Nursing, Midwifery, Allied Health Professionals and Chief Officer Acute, NHS Orkney
- Lead Public Protection, NHS Orkney
- Locality Reporter Manager, SCRA
Public Protection Team
- Lead Officer - Public Protection
- Learning and Development Officer - Public Protection
- MAPPA Co-ordinator
- Public Protection Secretary
IMAGE: A collage shows children playing on a beach, a child dancing, a child riding a bicycle, children using scooters, children playing in snow, people exploring a rocky shoreline, a child gardening, and police officers standing with a dinosaur mascot. Logos shown include the Orkney Public Protection Committee, Act against harm, Orkney Islands Council, Police Scotland, Orkney Partnership for Action Against Gender Based Violence and Abuse, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, NHS Orkney, Orkney Rape & Sexual Assault Service, Women’s Aid Orkney, Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration, Highlands & Islands Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements, and the Orkney Alcohol and Drugs Partnership.