What is Protecting People? 

'Protecting People' is the term that we use in Dundee to describe our work to protect children, young people and adults from abuse, neglect and harm. Our approach to Protecting People includes: 

• Child protection 
• Adult support and protection 
• Violence against women and girls 
• Alcohol and drugs 
• The management of sexual and violent offenders and 
• Suicide prevention

Why have a Protecting People approach? 

In Dundee an integrated Protecting People approach informs all our work to protect people at risk of harm. We know that many people in Dundee have multiple, complex and changing needs which typically arise from experiences of abuse, neglect and trauma through their lives. The graphic below describes the interconnected nature of Protecting People work and how experiences of trauma can impact life experiences and outcomes. 

Aims of the Protecting People Approach

By working together, agencies from across the city aim to: 

• Improve arrangements for identifying and supporting people who have been harmed or are at risk of harm. This includes involving people with lived experience to help improve services and supports; 
• Raise awareness of Protecting People issues across communities, including signs that people might be at risk of harm and how to report this; 
• Work together with communities to help to prevent harm happening in the first place; 
• Support the workforce who deliver Protecting People service, including through learning and development activities; and, 
• Monitor data and other types of information across services about the impact and effectiveness services have on vulnerable people. This is so services can learn from what is working and what we collectively need to improve to offer the best support possible.   

Services also work together across Tayside, and with national organisations to share learning, resources and best practice. 

What are the Protecting People Committees? 

The Protecting People Committees are the groups where services come together to lead, plan and evaluate their work to protect people from harm. These groups have a strategic focus. This means that they: 

• take an overview across all the Protecting People arrangements in Dundee; 
• look for key themes and priorities where good practice can be expanded to other services; 
• look where there are gaps and areas for improvements and; 
• focus on multi-agency working (each individual agency will also have their own, internal arrangements for making sure their Protecting People responses are in place and are of a good quality). 

These Committees and Partnerships include the:  

• Adult Support and Protection Committee (ASPC) 
• Child Protection Committee (CPC) 
• Violence Against Women Partnership (VAWP) 
• Multi Agency Public Protection (MAPPA) Strategic Oversight Group  
• Suicide Prevention Group (SPG) 

Independent Chairs 

Each of the committees are led by an Independent Chair. The Chair has an important role in supporting and leading improvement work, providing scrutiny and challenging local agencies where they think improvement is needed. They: 

• do not work for local agencies; 
• have significant knowledge, skills and experience in specific areas of Protecting People and; 
• have previous experience leading services. 

Protecting People Governance Arrangements 

All the Protecting People Committees report to the Chief Officers Group (COG). The COG is the strategic forum for public protection in Dundee, with responsibility for shaping and improving the operational development of public protection arrangements. It is attended by all Chairs of Protecting People Committees and Partnerships, along with representatives from all key services and senior officers who play a key coordinating role. The image below illustrates the relationship between the various bodies and groups to protect the people of Dundee.