Independent Chair – East Lothian and Midlothian Public Protection Committee (EMPPC)

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Independent Chair – East Lothian and Midlothian Public Protection Committee (EMPPC)

£400 per day (7 days per month – approx. 3 hours per committee)

As an Independent Chair, the public protection committee incorporates all aspects of public protection including Adult Support and Protection, Child Protection, Violence against Women and Girls and the Multiagency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA). The primary aim of the Committee is to provide leadership and strategic oversight of the Public Protection activity and performance across East Lothian and Midlothian.  It discharges its functions through four sub-groups.  As chair you shall report on a quarterly basis to the Critical Services Oversight Group (CSOG).  The Chief Officers of our core partners provide strategic leadership, scrutiny, governance and direction to the EMPCC. 

You should be educated to degree level or have equivalent professional experience in a relevant academic and or/professional qualification in social work, health, education, policing or in an appropriate discipline and have a detailed professional knowledge and understanding of the policy and legislative framework of public protection at a local and national level.

With extensive experience at a senior management level in a safeguarding discipline, you will have a proven track record of directing multi agency activity for change and improvement, and to challenge practices and hold agencies accountable. In addition, you will have significant experience of self-evaluation and the ability to carry forward a challenging partnership agenda, be innovative and drive change.

Please email your CV outlining your previous experience with a written statement of no more than 500 words outlining your skills and knowledge to Joan.tranent@midlothian.gov.uk.  

For further information or a confidential discussion about the role, please contact Joan.tranent@midlothian.gov.uk.  

Job Description

Chair of East Lothian and Midlothian Public Protection Committee

The East Lothian and Midlothian Public Protection Committee (EMPPC) was established in 2014 and is the local strategic partnership responsible for the overview of policy and practice in relation to Adult Protection, Child Protection, Offender Management and Violence Against Women and Girls. The primary aim of the Committee is to provide leadership and strategic oversight of Public Protection activity and performance across East Lothian and Midlothian. It discharges its functions through four sub-groups:

• Performance and Quality Improvement Subgroup
• Learning and Practice Development Subgroup
• Violence against Women and Girls Delivery Group
• East Lothian and Midlothian MAPPA Group

EMPPC reports to the Critical Services Oversight Group (CSOG).  The Chief Officers of our core partners provide strategic leadership, scrutiny, governance, and direction to the EMPPC. CSOG is co-chaired by Monica Patterson, Chief Executive of East Lothian Council and Grace Vickers, Chief Executive of Midlothian Council.

The membership of EMPPC and subcommittees is made up of senior managers from statutory agencies including East Lothian and Midlothian Council, Police Scotland, NHS Lothian, Health, and Social Care Partnerships in addition to representation from the third sector and SFRS.  EMPPC is supported by the Public Protection Team Manager and Lead Officers for Child Protection, Adult Protection, Violence against Women and Girls Co-ordinator and business support.  These posts are jointly funded.

Job Description (continued)

Role of the Chair

The role of the Chair of EMPPC is to ensure the Committee fulfils the core functions of leadership in public protection, continuous improvement, strategic planning and connections, assurance and oversight of risk and annual reporting.  The chair facilitates mutual interagency accountability for the delivery of improvement priorities and performance targets, supporting the committee to inform the wider planning of services for children and adults, and to advise the Public Protection Chief Officers Group on all aspects of Public Protection. 

The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 notes the chair must be independent from the Council.  In addition, the recent revised Code of Practice for Adult Support and Protection 2022 recommends the chair should also be independent of Police Scotland and NHS.

Responsibilities of the Chair

• Ensures EMPPC co-ordinates, monitors, reviews, and evaluates public protection practice and agencies adhere to good practice in line with national policy and legislation.
• Ensure comprehensive programme of self-evaluation and support preparation and participation in both child protection and adult support and protection inspections.
• Ensures a performance framework is in place and aligned to national data sets including publication of annual and biennial reports.
• Coordinate work of the Committee through regular meetings with senior managers and Public Protection Office.
• Chair quarterly meetings, ICR/Learning Review Oversight Meetings
• Oversee all improvement and business plans for the committee
• Participate in national meetings as required including attendance CPC Scotland and Adult Protection National Convenor meetings

Requirements of Chair

The time commitment for the Chair is a minimum of 4 days per month.

Knowledge and Experience

Closing Date

Sunday 18 December 2022