More than 100 children have died in local authority care in Scotland since 2000, according to a report published today, ahead of a seminar that aims to cut the toll.
The report, Deaths of Looked After Children, from the Social Work Inspection Agency (SWIA), shows that the majority of deaths occur among children with life-limiting illnesses such as muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis and childhood cancers.
However, a number of the deaths - seven out of 29 recorded between March 2006 to March 2008 - are attributed to suicide or acts classed as being of "undetermined intent".
The 29 deaths took place in 18 local authorities and ages ranged from one to 17 years old. Twenty-one boys and eight girls died. Life-limiting illnesses caused 17 of the deaths. Seven were suicide or acts of "undetermined intent." Of the five remaining deaths, four were attributed to road accidents and there was one murder. Of those who died as a result of intentional self harm or acts of unknown intent, all were aged 13 to 16.
The report says workers in residential child-care settings and foster carers need more training to help spot those at risk from self-harm.
These figures are published annually but have not previously been analysed by SWIA. Alexis Jay, chief social work inspector at the agency, said the report would allow councils to consider whether they were doing enough to prevent such deaths.
While the deaths of some children in contact with social services receive national attention, many of those recorded in the report appear to go under the radar, she added.
"Each of these deaths is in themselves very shocking. Every child's death is important, especially where there has been prior indication of intent," she said.
The rates of suicide and self-harm in Scotland's population of "looked after" children are not higher than those in the general population.
At today's seminar in Stirling, Ms Jay will call for more effective risk assessments, particularly of those with a history of self-harm.
"The purpose of this seminar is to raise awareness to ensure everybody understands this is a possibility, for some, but not all who self harm," she said.
"Some instances may be inevitable, but there is a need for more training, particularly for residential and night staff, because suicides - regardless of age - seem to occur in these particular hours of the late evening and early morning."
Ms Jay said some children were resistant to working with mental health services, but there were examples of imaginative ways of reaching them which would be shared at today's seminar.
The report also reveals that children with life-limiting illnesses may be suffering unnecessarily as a result of a legal anomaly at the end of their lives. The Children Act of 1995 says biological parents must be contacted in respect of the withdrawal of life support, organ donation and funeral arrangements, even if they no longer have other parental rights, or have left the country.
Ms Jay said. "There are sensitive circumstances which can arise, leading to suffering for the child over a lengthier period than anyone would wish.
"We have had discussions with policy colleagues in the Scottish Government because the law as it stands may not be operating in the best interests of the child."
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