In the Chamber: 21st November 2018 – Services for Children who have suffered abuse

Services for children who have suffered abuse
Rhoda :
Can I ask about services for children who have suffered abuse?
I understand that moves are being made to protect adults, but children will still need to go off island.
Will the cabinet secretary look at that to make sure that children should not have to travel in such circumstances?
Humza Yousaf :
I will.
Let me also put on record the member’s efforts on this—I know that she wrote to and had a conversation with my predecessor on this hugely important issue.
Where travel can be avoided, it absolutely should be.
However, because of the specialist training, equipment and sensitivities around children, we know that that might not always be able to be the case. However, where it can be the case, we should absolutely look at that.
I promise to write to Rhoda Grant to update her on where we are in relation to children who have been victims of rape.
However, I think that all of us around the chamber understand the sensitivities involved in this.
We are working on a better solution for our children, whether they are on islands or on our mainland.