GIRFEC Aberdeenshire

GIRFEC Aberdeenshire Website

Getting it right for every child and young person is a national policy to help all children and young people grow, develop and reach their full potential.   Its focus is to improve outcomes for children and their families based on a shared understanding of their wellbeing.

In Aberdeenshire our ambition for our children is clear: we want Aberdeenshire to be the best place in the Scotland for children and young people to grow up. We want them to be loved and cherished, safe and healthy, and to enjoy being young. – It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, after all.

We believe that joining up children’s services – with children’s wellbeing at the heart of that approach – will help us achieve that ambition. That’s where our getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) approach comes in.

GIRFEC isn’t an extra thing people have to do. It’s a way for those who support children to work differently, making sure they are all on the same page. Where needed, GIRFEC links day-to-day work in education, health, policing, social work and the voluntary sector – in fact any public or voluntary organisation whose staff come into contact with children. It makes it easier for those different organisations to communicate consistently with each other, and with children and young people.

In Scotland, all professionals who work with children and young people have a duty to Get It Right for Every Child.

What Getting it Right for Every Child means:

For children, young people and their families:

  • They understand what is happening and why
  • They have been listened to carefully and their wishes have been heard and understood
  • They will feel confident about the help they are getting
  • They are appropriately involved in discussions and decisions that affect them
  • They can rely on appropriate help being available as soon as possible
  • They will have experienced a more streamlined and co-ordinated response from practitioners

Children’s Services Plan 2020 – 2023

WORRIED ABOUT A CHILD?

Protecting children is the responsibility of every member of the community, not just child protection services. 
Remember – if you suspect abuse, do not rely on someone else to notice.

If you would like to speak to someone, seek help or pass on information or concerns:

Social Work

Contact Aberdeenshire Children & Families Team:
01888 530831 (Turriff)

Police – Emergency 999  Non Emergency 101

Do not worry about being wrong: you may only know one part of the story. Other people may know more and your action could be the key to ending a child’s suffering.  Signs of abuse can range from poor personal hygiene and hunger to unexplained injuries or self-harm.  If a young person tells you they are being abused:

  • stay calm and listen to them
  • never promise to keep it a secret – tell them you must let someone else know
  • remind them that they are not to blame and are doing the right thing
  • report it, but leave any investigation to child protection agencies.