When further guidance for inclusion in the child witness support pack will be issued.

A further two guidance documents for the Child Witness Support Pack are being issued today. These documents are “Information About Child, Young and Vulnerable Adult Witnesses to Inform Decision-Making in the Legal Process” and a “Code of Practice to Facilitate the Provision of Therapeutic Support to Child Witnesses in Court Proceedings”.
The guidance on information about child, young and adult vulnerable witnesses aims to ensure that important information about child and adult vulnerable witnesses is captured at an early stage by the police to inform decision making and the provision of appropriate measures of support by procurators fiscal and children’s reporters. The guidance was developed in partnership with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, the Crown Office and ProcuratorFiscal Service and the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration.
The code of practice on the provision of therapeutic support aims to clarify that the provision of therapeutic support prior to court proceedings should not be discouraged and to provide guidelines on how to provide therapeutic support which avoids the contamination of evidence. The guidance was developed by a multi agency steering group of key stakeholders representing justice, health and welfare agencies.
Copies of each document have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. numbers: 34974 Code of Practice to Facilitate the Provision of Therapeutic Support to Child Witnesses in Court Proceedings, 34975 Information about Child, Young and Vulnerable Adult Witnesses to Inform Decision Making in the Legal Process – Good Practice Guidance).