GIRFEC – Using the National Practice Model

This Guidance helps and supports practitioners and managers understand and implement GIRFEC into their everyday practice.

It’s a way for workers to check on the wellbeing of a child or young person. Information will be gathered from a number of sources with the full input of the child or young person themselves.

Once the information has been collected, it can then be used to make a plan to support the child or young person.

There will be times when workers decide that emergency action must be taken to keep a child or young person safe.

There are five key questions that workers should ask when thinking about a child or young person’s wellbeing needs:

  • What is getting in the way of wellbeing?
  • Do I have all the information I need to help?
  • What can I do now to help?
  • What can my service do now to help?
  • What other help is needed from others?