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<p>Territory Governments have the principal responsibility for ensure the safeguarding
of children in the Overseas Territories, for which the UK provides practical assistance
and support. DFID and the FCO have been supporting child safeguarding initiatives
in the OT’s for the last nine years, most recently through the Safeguarding Children
in the Overseas Territories (SCOT) programme (2013-2016), which followed on from an
earlier SCOT programme (2009-2013) and a regional Child Protection Programme (CPP,
2005-2008). Although tangible progress was made in earlier programmes to raise awareness
and build capacity, the new programme will focus on gaining a deeper understanding
of the problem including how to detect, prevent and address child abuse.</p><p>In
St Helena, the SCOT programme has helped encourage revised and updated legislation
to protect children, established professional protocols and procedures for those involved
in child services, improved the provision of training for St Helena officials, and
helped to promote local ownership of the safeguarding agenda. Support has been provided
to St Helena through a Lucy Faithfull Foundation review (2013) and technical expertise
to take forward a robust child safeguarding action plan arising from review recommendations.</p><p>The
FCO and DFID have been working closely with the UK police who have investigated reports
into child sex abuse of St Helena and continue to do so.</p>
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