Messages from elsewhere about reviewing serious cases: What’s in it for Scotland? Key messages and actions from the seminar (Seminar report)

In September 2011 MARS/SCCPN and the University of Edinburgh/NSPCC Child Protection Research Centre hosted a seminar in Scotland for practitioners and those involved in policy development related to child protection. With input from experts – Dr. Sheila Fish and Dr. Sharon Vincent – the seminar explored approaches to reviewing cases of child death and serious abuse. It specifically looked at approaches in New Zealand, Canada, Australia, the USA and a Systems Approach being developed in England. Delegates were then invited to reflect on these approaches in order to distil learning and implications for Scotland. This paper provides brief background to the Scottish context, a summary of both presentations and highlights key messages and implications for Scotland.