A follow-through report on child protection services in Dundee (www.hmie.gov.uk) has concluded that the Dundee Children and Young Persons Committee (CYPPC) had 'responded quickly and positively to the main points for action outlined in the inspection report published in June 2009'.

The report confirmed that 'there had been significant progress in strengthening the leadership and direction provided by Chief Officers and by the chair of the CYPPC to support improvement. Overall, positive progress had been made in most of the main points for action. Services were increasingly working well together in partnership'.

Welcoming the follow-through report, Alan Baird, the Chairman of the Dundee Children and Young Persons Committee said:

''We have acted on the need for change and a lot of hard work from everyone involved with child protection in the city has been focussed on improving our performance.

''This has involved Dundee City Council, NHS Tayside and Tayside Police committing significant additional resources and strengthening partnership working and leadership on child protection issues.

''Our improvement activity has included the redesign of child protection services and the reconfiguration of staffing, as well as increasing staffing levels and better communication.

''I would like to thank staff in all child protection agencies for their efforts in achieving this improved performance.

''While we have made a very positive start, we are not complacent and our improvement work is ongoing and will continue into the long-term.''

The investment of additional resources has made a real difference which has satisfied the inspectors in their follow-through report.

Caroline Selkirk, Commissioner for Child Health at NHS Tayside said:

''Child protection agencies in the city have invested over £1million more on frontline staff to improve the service. We have added four advanced nurse practitioners to cover the city and a new child protection nurse to work specifically on substance misuse.

''Additional police time has been dedicated to the family protection unit and an extra officer has been added to the domestic abuse team. Four social workers have also been added to the child protection and access teams.

''All these extra posts have strengthened our child protection teams so we can provide advice, support early identification and respond quickly to referrals.''

The inspectors also recognised that capital investment in a new purpose-built child protection unit and a new electronic information system had 'the potential to have a positive impact on improving the lives of children at risk'.

Tayside Police Deputy Chief Constable, Bill Harkins said:

''We are investing £2.65 million in a purpose-built child protection unit for all agencies to be based at Kings Cross Hospital.

''The fact that police, social work and health staff will be working from the same base will help to improve the service. Information can be shared more easily and partnership working strengthened.''

We have also introduced a new single telephone number to make it easier for people to get in touch if they have any concerns. The Dundee child protection line is 307999.''