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Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC)

We want to ensure that each child in East Ayrshire, including those who are not yet born have the best start in life.

Therefore our commitment to children and young people, their families and carers is to provide them with the support they need, when and where they need it in order to help them achieve their aspirations and potential.

A child or young person’s wellbeing is influenced by everything around them and the different experiences and needs they have at different times in their lives.

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 is about improving the wellbeing of children and young people in Scotland. The Act is wide ranging and includes key parts of the Getting it right for every child approach, commonly known as GIRFEC.

GIRFEC is the national approach in Scotland to improving outcomes and supporting the wellbeing of our children and young people by offering the right help at the right time from the right people.  It supports them and their parent(s) to work in partnership with the services that can help them.

Wellbeing sits at the heart of the GIRFEC approach and reflects the need to tailor the support and help that children, young people and their parents are offered to support their wellbeing.

We all want our children and young people to be fully supported as they grow to be:

  • Safe - Protected from abuse, neglect or harm at home, at school and in the community.
  • Healthy - Having the highest attainable standards of physical and mental health, access to suitable healthcare and support in learning to make healthy, safe choices.
  • Achieving - Being supported and guided in learning and in the development of skills, confidence and self-esteem, at home, in school and in the community.
  • Nurtured - Having a nurturing place to live in a family setting, with additional help if needed, or, where possible, in a suitable care setting
  • Active - Having opportunities to take part in activities such as play, recreation and sport, which contribute to healthy growth and development, at home, in school and in the community.
  • Respected - Having the opportunity, along with carers, to be heard and involved in decisions that affect them.
  • Responsible - Having opportunities and encouragement to play active and responsible roles at home, in school and in the community, and where necessary, having appropriate guidance and supervision, and being involved in
    decisions that affect them.
  • Included - Having help to overcome social, educational, physical and economic inequalities, and being accepted as part of the community in which they live and learn.

These eight wellbeing indicators are sometimes known collectively as SHANARRI. While each indicator is separately defined, in practice, the indicators are not discrete, but connected and overlapping. In this way, they give a holistic view of each child or young person, and allow the child or young person, and the adults supporting them, to consider strengths as well as barriers to growth and development.

Contact Information

Education Service
Council Headquarters
London Road
Kilmarnock
KA3 7BU
Telephone (General Enquiries): 07551 280834 or
Telephone (General Enquiries): 07721 857059 or
Telephone (General Enquiries): 07392 864105
East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership
The Johnnie Walker Bond
15 Strand Street
Kilmarnock
KA1 1HU
Social Services (Kilmarnock)
The Johnnie Walker Bond
15 Strand Street
Kilmarnock
East Ayrshire
KA1 1HU
Telephone: 01563 554200
Social Services (Cumnock)
Rothesay House
1 Greenholm Road
Cumnock
East Ayrshire
KA18 1LH
Telephone: 01290 427720
Social Work: Ayrshire Urgent Care Service
Note: The Emergency Out Of Hours Social Work Service is available after 5pm until 9am, Monday to Thursday and after 4pm on Friday until 9am on Monday (throughout the weekend). It is also available during public holidays. You will be put through to the Ayrshire Social Work out of Hours Response Service. A qualified Social Worker will assess the circumstances referred.

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