Week 2: police, fire, child, welfare Flashcards
Outline the role of the SPA?
The SPA is an arm’s length body with an independent chair
appointed by Scottish Government.
SPA is accountable to the Scottish Government Justice Secretary and is responsible for the overall conduct and strategy of policing in Scotland.
The Chief Constable in turn is responsible for all operational policing matters and is accountable to SPA
Outline the role of the chief constable of scotland?
The Chief Constable is responsible for all operational aspects of policing in Scotland.
He agrees with the Scottish Police Authority – SPA (to whom he is accountable), the budget and broad strategic direction of policing.
He – and SPA – are ultimately accountable to Scot Govt. Secretary for Justice.
Outline the role of the SPA in police accountability in Scotland?
The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 created the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) and set out its five core functions:
• to maintain the Police Service;
• to promote the policing principles set out in the 2012 Act;
• to promote and support continuous improvement in the policing of Scotland;
• to keep under review the policing of Scotland; and
• to hold the Chief Constable to account for the policing of Scotland
Roles of Police Scotland?
crime prevention arresting criminals maintaining public order managing traffic investigating crimes
What are the nine ranks of police officer?
There are nine ranks of police officer in the UK: Chief Constable Deputy Chief Constable Assistant Chief Constable Chief Superintendent Superintendent Chief Inspector Inspector Sergeant Constable
Scottish police forces also make use of part-time volunteer Special Constables. Special Constables have the same powers as regular police officers.
Stop and search rules:
Police Scotland officers can stop and search a person without having a search warrant if the officer suspects the person of being in possession of the following:
drugs
an offensive weapon
stolen property
alcohol if travelling to major sporting events particularly on public transport
evidence in relation to an offence under the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002
cash or the cash equivalent of £1,000 or more as a result of criminal activity
fireworks if a police officer suspects that the person intends to use the fireworks in an anti-social manner
What is Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS)?
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) provides independent scrutiny of both Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority(SPA).
They can inspect other UK police services that operate in Scotland and inspecting police custody centres to monitor the treatment and conditions for detainees.
Along with Audit Scotland, it scrutinises the spending of Police Scotland and the SPA making sure finances are spent effectively. Both can make recommendations on how the budget can be better spent in the future.
Role of Police Investigations and Review Commissioner?
To independently investigate incidents involving the police and independently review the way the police handle complaints from the public.
If a member of the public is not happy with the police’s response about a complaint, the PIRC can look into it.
Give an overview of the Scottish Fire and Rescue services
Regional boards merged in 2013 into one board for Scotland just like Police Scotland.
Since then the Fire Brigades union says that the fire service budget has been cut by seven per cent
They had to absorb an 11 per cent cash drop in the first five years, before some increases in recent years.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said an extra£6.1 million is being invested this year to support the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. It follows an increase of £15.5 million in 2018-19 and a further £5.5 million in 2019-20.
services offered by councils ?
The local authority has to make arrangements to provide services or arrange services for children whom it believes to be at risk and in danger of needing compulsory measures of care or supervision (this means they are a ‘looked after’ child).
The services it provides have to be relevant and should mean that the child stops being at risk. Help can be given at the same time to carers of the child.
Do you get paid to be a foster carer or to adopt a child?
What is the cut-off age for children in care (foster and homes)?
How many hours of childcare do parents get for their children who are not yet in school?
- You get paid to be a foster carer or adopt a child
- The cut-off age for children in care is 21
- Parents get 600 hours of care of their children (a year) who are not yet in school.
who are children who are in need?
Children in need are defined in law as children who are aged under 18 and:-
need local authority services to achieve or maintain a reasonable standard of health or development, or
need local authority services to prevent harm to their health or development, or
are disabled, or
are affected by the disability of another family member.
are ‘at risk’ of becoming a ‘looked after’ child either for the first time or perhaps a second or third time and so on because they are not in a settled situation
What does the justice committee do?
The Justice Committee was appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Ministry of Justice and associated public bodies,
(to include the work of staff provided for the administrative work of courts and tribunals, but excluding consideration of individual cases and appointments, and excluding the work of the Scotland and Wales Offices and of the Advocate General for Scotland);
and administration and expenditure of the Attorney General’s Office, the Treasury Solicitor’s Department, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Fraud Office (but excluding individual cases and appointments and advice given within government by Law Officers).
care inspectorate
- The Care Inspectorate is a scrutiny body that support improvement.
- They look into the quality of care in Scotland and ensure that it meets high standards.
- Where they find that improvement is needed, they support services to make positive changes.
- They have 600 staff working across Scotland and some specialise in early learning and childcare, social work, community justice, children’s services.
