The system that ends at Crannog begins in the school. Dumfries and Galloway has 116 primary and 16 secondary schools. Each secondary has a school review group which meets at least once a month to discuss any pupil who is having serious social or behavioural problems.
The meetings are chaired by the headteacher and will be attended by the pupil, the parent or carer, the attendance and liaison officer, a social worker and a psychologist. The emphasis is on positive intervention and co-operation, involving pupil and family.
“Even just appearing at a school reviw group can be a salutary experience for a pupil,” points out Stuart Beck.
If the school review group cannot deal with the problem, the case will be referred to one of six area review groups, three for primary and three for secondary.
The same agencies are represented in this group, with the addition of Crannog and behaviour support staff. “The area review groups carry the full weight and range of the local authority’s powers,” says Beck. “They can make recommendations about residential schools or foster care. They are the gatekeepers to Crannog.”
