Yesterday members of the Child Protection Committee attended a training seminar  delivered by Independent Social Worker and Director of Leonard Consultancy, Marcella Leonard.

A statement from the Government follows below:

The Minister with responsibility for Families and Children under the Children Act, the Hon Samantha Sacramento MP commissioned Independent Social Worker and Director of Leonard Consultancy, Marcella Leonard to deliver a training seminar to all members of the Child Protection Committee. The training took place on 10th November 2021. 

The focus of this seminar was to discuss the new Committee’s implementation of its extensive remit and shared aims and objectives of protecting children at risk in a joint forum allowing for a close working relationship between members. The training also focused on the governance of the Committee. 

The Chair of the Child Protection Committee, Care Agency Chief Executive Officer, Mr Carlos Banderas, said:“It gives me great pleasure for such an established and recognised professional such as Ms Marcella Leonard to deliver such a thorough and informative session to the newly appointed members ofthe reconstitutedChildProtectionCommittee.It has been an excellent opportunity for members to discuss the Committee’s next steps both individually and collectively. I would like to express my gratitude to Minister Sacramento on behalf of the Committee for facilitating this training for us.” 

The Minister Samantha Sacramento said: “We need to continue to strive to ensure that Gibraltar has the highest standards in Child Safeguarding and Child Protection. I recently appointed the members of the Child Protection Committee, whose membership has been broadened to include more stakeholder partners throughout the public sector, and many of whom will be new to this Committee. I wanted to ensure that this Committee worked to the highest standard and that everyone understood that their role within it was one of strategic overview and advising on policy development. Thewelfare ofthe children and young people of Gibraltar is paramount. This bespoke training that I specifically commissioned for this purpose has been delivered by a leading professional in Child Protection is an excellent opportunity for the reconstituted committee to refocus its aims and objectives moving forward.”