Written Question · S5W-30104 · Session 5
What progress has been made by the Victims’ Taskforce and what the measurable outcomes are.
The question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made by the Victims’ Taskforce and what the measurable outcomes are.
The answer
We published a paper in December 2019, summarising progress made by the Victims Taskforce during its first year of operation
- https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/minutes/2019/12/victims-taskforce-papers-december-2019/documents/paper-4-year-one-of-the-victims-taskforce/paper-4-year-one-of-the-victims-taskforce/govscot%3Adocument/Paper%2B4%2B-%2BYear%2Bone%2Bof%2Bthe%2BVictims%2BTaskforce%2B-%2BDecember%2B2019.pdf
In addition, a work plan has been published setting out the aims of the Taskforce over five key work streams, with a set of detailed actions under each work stream
- https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/minutes/2020/06/victims-taskforce-papers-june-2020/documents/victims-taskforce-updated-work-plan/victims-taskforce-updated-work-plan/govscot%3Adocument/Victims%2BTaskforce%2B-%2BSecretariat%2B-%2B6th%2BMeeting%2B-%2B2020-06-10%2B-%2BUpdated%2BWork%2BPlan.pdf
Progress against these actions includes: commissioning a major service design project, ‘Transforming Services for Victims and Witnesses’, to inform the development of a victim-centred approach; issuing a questionnaire on the current provision of trauma-informed training in justice sector organisations; providing funding for NHS Education Scotland to work on the development of a trauma informed and trauma responsive workforce in the justice system; and establishing a Victims Reference Group and a Survivors Reference Group to enable the Taskforce to hear victims’ experiences directly.
Whilst progress against these actions will continue to be monitored, at the last meeting of the Taskforce on 10 June 2020, members considered the effect of the Covid-19 outbreak on victims. All papers from this meeting have been published on the Scottish Government website https://www.gov.scot/publications/victims-taskforce-papers-june-2020/ . In response to these discussions, further consideration is being given to adapting and reprioritising the current work plan to ensure that actions focus on mitigating the impact of Covid-19 on victims and the needs of victims are a central consideration in the recovery of the justice system.
- https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/minutes/2019/12/victims-taskforce-papers-december-2019/documents/paper-4-year-one-of-the-victims-taskforce/paper-4-year-one-of-the-victims-taskforce/govscot%3Adocument/Paper%2B4%2B-%2BYear%2Bone%2Bof%2Bthe%2BVictims%2BTaskforce%2B-%2BDecember%2B2019.pdf
In addition, a work plan has been published setting out the aims of the Taskforce over five key work streams, with a set of detailed actions under each work stream
- https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/minutes/2020/06/victims-taskforce-papers-june-2020/documents/victims-taskforce-updated-work-plan/victims-taskforce-updated-work-plan/govscot%3Adocument/Victims%2BTaskforce%2B-%2BSecretariat%2B-%2B6th%2BMeeting%2B-%2B2020-06-10%2B-%2BUpdated%2BWork%2BPlan.pdf
Progress against these actions includes: commissioning a major service design project, ‘Transforming Services for Victims and Witnesses’, to inform the development of a victim-centred approach; issuing a questionnaire on the current provision of trauma-informed training in justice sector organisations; providing funding for NHS Education Scotland to work on the development of a trauma informed and trauma responsive workforce in the justice system; and establishing a Victims Reference Group and a Survivors Reference Group to enable the Taskforce to hear victims’ experiences directly.
Whilst progress against these actions will continue to be monitored, at the last meeting of the Taskforce on 10 June 2020, members considered the effect of the Covid-19 outbreak on victims. All papers from this meeting have been published on the Scottish Government website https://www.gov.scot/publications/victims-taskforce-papers-june-2020/ . In response to these discussions, further consideration is being given to adapting and reprioritising the current work plan to ensure that actions focus on mitigating the impact of Covid-19 on victims and the needs of victims are a central consideration in the recovery of the justice system.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S5W-30104 by reference.