Belling the cat

My elderly blind aunt’s cat is chipped. But my aunt does like her cat to have a collar on as the tinkling of the bells let’s her know it is in.

Unfortunately, this cat has a tendency to hide in heathers/bushes/ undergrowth somewhere and keeps getting the collar snagged. As they are safety collars they come apart but we rarey find them again. Somewhere there may be a stockpile worthy of North Korea: that or the cat is selling the collars on the black market.

Every couple of months it seems I am replenishing the collars. Getting them on the cat is yet another matter!

The phrase - bell the cat - came to mind in discussions at work today. We were having a meeting with a couple of Scottish Government colleagues (Peter and Liz) hearing about the development of an electronic tool to help capture views in the wellbeing of individual children. It allows for various practitioners to record their assessment; for the child and his or her parent(s) to do likewise. And then have a discussion about what to do. It helps identify areas where support might need to be targeted and for trends in wellbeing to be captured over time.

This is being piloted in respect of youth offenders - but has potential in wider fields.

It is of interest to me in reporting in the implementation and impact of children’s hearings decisions. Data may be gathered in case files but systems do not allow for the key information I need to complete my report to be extracted to the level I require.

So some potential to develop a new reporting approach. But it may not satisfy the specific repirting obligations set out on me. So maybe time to Bell that cat?

In any event it was great to hear that Liz Murdoch has passed an assessment centre and is taking over from David Doris as team leader for youth justice (including secure care) - so we will continue to be in contact.