Audrey Nicoll
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“Some consider that mobile phone use by children is so ubiquitous that bans in isolation are not enough to tackle the negative impacts. It seems that there is still some way to go to find a clear, evidence-based approach that safeguards children.”
“However, Ms Gosal’s motion reflects the concerns of many—parents, teachers, legislators, police officers and children—that overexposure to the use of mobile phones carries risks. I commend the work of many organisations to safeguard children in that space.”
“What an utter privilege and an amazing experience it has been to be a member of our amazing Scottish Parliament. I thank a number of people for making it happen: my loving husband, Alex; my wonderful son, Sam; my parents, Bill and Jean; and my sister, Susan. I also thank Maureen Watt, who has been a mentor and friend throughout.”
“I thank Pam Gosal for securing this debate on a Scotland-wide ban on the use of mobile phones in schools, and I congratulate her on her powerful and comprehensive speech.”
“Having entered politics later in life, I have often found it hard to understand why we think fractious discourse and debate serve the people of Scotland.”
“Amendment 41 agreed to. 17:45 Amendment 143 moved—[Martin Whitfield]— and agreed to. Section 10F—Register of foster carers: procedure for regulations Amendment 42 moved—[Natalie Don-Innes]— and agreed to. Section 10G—Register of foster carers: interpretation Amendment 43 moved—[Natalie Don-Innes]— and agreed to. Amendment 144 not moved.”
The complete record
Every one of 432 lines we hold for Audrey Nicoll, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 9.
“Nonetheless, I will not for a minute walk away from the importance of candour and openness with Parliament in these matters. I have always striven to demonstrate that in all aspects of my work. Have I had to make amends? Yes—that is what I hope that I am doing here today, and I will continue to do so through the work that I will lead in collaboration with other colleagues across”
“I note that the report of the independent advisers on the ministerial code said that the two breaches of the ministerial code were unintentional and were “inadvertence without any deliberation or intention to mislead.” The sanction is a formal reprove and a statement “to clarify the words” for the official record. Does the cabinet secretary believe that her statement fulfils what is required of her now in relation to the advisers’ report on the issue? Angela Constance: Yes, I do. The report is very clear that the issue was “inadvertent error”. As I said before, it was never my intention to mislead Parliament in any way. The comment was one that I made during an intervention on one amendment out of 174 amendments that were under consideration that evening.”
“We know that ScotWind is a catalyst for careers in the green industries, offering training and capacity building in project management, engineering, manufacturing and maritime services. We will always seek to ensure that benefits from ScotWind continue to be retained and invested locally in our communities.”
“ScotWind is one of the most significant green investment opportunities of the just transition, with the potential to create thousands of high-quality jobs, strengthen our domestic supply chains and generate considerable public revenue. Will the First Minister further outline how the Scottish Government is ensuring that communities across Scotland, particularly in coastal and island areas, will see lasting economic and social benefits from ScotWind, while it also furthers our future energy security? The First Minister: Our coastal regions are already eligible for community funds that support education, infrastructure, environmental initiatives and revenue reinvestment.”
“That speaks to our overall investment and, equally, to the priority that we have given to all forms of childcare, such as through our investment in childminding. Next year, we are due to publish our overarching outcomes-based evaluation, which will provide further important insights.”
“Recent statistics on the uptake of early learning and childcare funded hours demonstrate the Scottish National Party Government’s investment in supporting children and families. What assessment has the minister made of those figures in relation to the evaluation of ELC expansion? Natalie Don-Innes: I welcome the 2025 census, which shows that more than 90,000 children were registered for funded ELC across Scotland in 2025. It is encouraging to see further evidence that so many families are choosing to take up our expanded ELC offer. An interim evaluation that was published in 2024 found promising signs that the ELC expansion is delivering improvements in flexibility and affordability for families across Scotland.”
“I thank all those who gave evidence to the committee, and I look forward to hearing the rest of the debate. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I call the cabinet secretary, Angela Constance, to open on behalf of the Scottish Government. 15:37”
“We also heard about the need to ensure that key criminal justice sector partners such as the police service, courts, the prosecution service and prisons are ready to meet new challenges as they move more of their operations on to digital platforms. Maintaining public confidence in how our criminal justice system responds to calls for help or gathers evidence of crimes must be central to the capital resources that we commit to modernising our IT systems. As a digitally dependent society, we face many challenges from bad-faith actors—both individuals and nations. They wish to steal from us, sow discontent and undermine public confidence in democracy. Ensuring robust public and private sector IT systems and embedding cyber awareness as part of everyone’s daily life must be central to Scotland’s cyber resilience strategy.”
“However, we must continue to invest in cyber training for all employees to ensure that their resilience and awareness keep pace. Unfortunately, many of our public sector IT systems have not kept pace, largely due to costs and the need to procure such systems on a large scale. Our evidence taking on both cybercrime and the budget highlighted the pressing need to ensure increased capital investment in vital public IT systems. We saw earlier this year that cyberattacks on retailers left many Scottish communities with empty supermarket shelves. We also saw attacks targeting our local authorities, which impacted on schools and many other services. Our report points out a recent Audit Scotland analysis of a cyberattack on Western Isles Council, which highlighted various issues that local and national Government must address.”
“Its focus is on the security and resilience of IT systems that we rely on to carry out essential activities, and it proposes stiffer penalties for cybercrimes. I would welcome hearing about the discussions that the Scottish Government is having with the UK Government on the bill. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Microsoft’s launch of the Windows 95 home computer. Many people consider that to be the start of the general public’s move into the online realm. Since then, our everyday experience of the digital world has moved from it being an optional extra to it being a central part of our lives. Anyone born after 1990 has grown up in the computer age, so a large percentage of our modern-day workforce is more cyber literate than our policies might recognise.”
“The borderless nature of the digital world means that it is virtually impossible to identify where a criminal might be located. Police Scotland told us that the action that it takes is often focused on gathering threat intelligence and finding out where the weaknesses are in the system, because its ability to trace and prosecute a criminal who could be based anywhere is far more limited. The Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland pointed out a loophole in the criminal law. At present, it is a criminal offence to handle stolen physical goods, but no such crime exists for handling or making use of data that has been stolen in a cybercrime. The law should seek to address that loophole. I note that the UK Government’s Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill has just been introduced in the House of Commons.”
“Some do not report it because of embarrassment, whereas others do not do so because they believe that the police could do little to help them. We learned that the type of fraud that is being perpetrated is changing. In the past, criminals would simply have sought money, but there is now a focus on stealing personal data, which cyber criminals can package and sell to other criminals on the black market. Helping members of the public to stay informed about the evolving threat and encouraging them to report such fraud to the police remains one of the greatest challenges that we face. In relation to the policing response, prosecution and the law, using traditional policing methods to address cybercrime is extremely difficult.”
“That shows that we can develop effective AI tools to protect businesses and our wider economy from cybercrime. Our committee heard from Age Scotland about the continually evolving nature of the threat to vulnerable individuals. Although phishing emails and scam phone calls still represent a major problem, new AI tools that allow criminals to manipulate their image and voice present new risks to vulnerable groups. AI-enhanced fraud scams are making it increasingly difficult for people to identify that the person with whom they are engaging is not real. That allows criminals to build up trust with a victim, thereby increasing their ability to defraud people out of cash or valuable data. Research by Age Scotland shows that about 20 per cent of elderly people who experience online fraud do not report it to the police.”
“Although the company recovered quickly, we were told that it is still feeling the after-effects of the attack today. I am aware that the Economy and Fair Work Committee has recently been taking evidence on the use of artificial intelligence among Scottish businesses. The latest statistics show that 17.6 per cent of Scottish businesses use AI daily and that fraud accounted for about £1.7 billion last year, with most of it occurring through social and digital media. Last month, Forrit, an Edinburgh- based content management system company, told the committee that the AI tools that it has developed “have blocked 3.9 million cyberattacks in the past three months”—[Official Report, Economy and Fair Work Committee, 5 November 2025; c 7.] for one of its corporate clients.”
“That requires a huge on-going investment in staff and technology, but such defensive actions are an essential part of modern-day business. We also heard about the impact of a ransomware cyberattack on Scotland-based business Arnold Clark. Despite having an information technology department with more than 200 staff, 12 of whom were dedicated to cybersecurity, and having an IT budget of several million pounds per annum, cyber criminals were still able to breach Arnold Clark’s systems and steal large amounts of data. The attack, which was deliberately undertaken over the Christmas period to make it far more difficult for the company to respond, had a substantial impact on Arnold Clark’s business, with about 4,000 customers affected.”
“It is clear from the evidence that we have received that an increased focus on cybercrime and cybersecurity needs to be put front and centre every bit as much as our focus on the risks that are posed to us by issues such as climate change. Turning to the impact on business, we undertook a one-off oral evidence session on 14 May with stakeholders representing the police, business and vulnerable individuals. That was followed up by written evidence from business, third sector groups and the Scottish Government. One issue that became immediately clear was the impact that cybercrime can have on all levels of businesses that play a vital role in our society. We heard from NatWest bank that it currently has to defend itself against an average of 100 million attempted cyberattacks every month.”
“I am very pleased to open this afternoon’s debate on behalf of the Criminal Justice Committee. I will start with the usual thank you to committee clerks and Scottish Parliament information centre colleagues for their support on this important piece of work. This year, the committee has had a very busy programme—it has considered four separate bills at either stage 1 or stage 2—so the time that we had available for this inquiry was limited. However, we were aware that cybercrime is an important topic that we wished to consider, especially as it affects business, vulnerable individuals and wider society. The short factual report that we have produced does not attempt to identify solutions. Rather, we wanted to identify the scope of the problem and to stimulate public debate.”
“To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its engagement with the United Kingdom Government regarding the energy profits levy and its implications for North East Scotland. (S6O- 05270)”
“I point out that Police Scotland is one of the public bodies in Scotland that attracts the most scrutiny, not least from the Scottish Police Authority, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland, various commissioners and, indeed, the public. I absolutely agree that a significant piece of work is required to further enhance our response to group- based sexual exploitation of children, so I am pleased to hear the update from the cabinet secretary regarding the appointment of Alexis Jay. I very much look forward to supporting that work. I am pleased that there is now an opportunity to move forward collectively on the issue, thereby demonstrating our commitment to the public across Scotland that we are united in addressing it together, once and for all. 16:36”
“That is a crucial piece of work, and I especially welcome the update on self-assessment across key areas of practice within Police Scotland, including data analysis, investigation, disruption and resources. I anticipate that that work will inform the inquiry that has been announced today. At this point I commend officers and specialists in Police Scotland for their work in this specialist area of investigation. I know from personal experience that the work is harrowing, sensitive and very complex. On the Police Scotland response and what Pauline McNeill’s motion relates to, I note the cabinet secretary’s response to Ms McNeill’s question about independent oversight.”
“It said: “What is required is a new system designed with the explicit purpose of tackling the criminal exploitation of children.” I note that, during a members’ business debate earlier this year, which was secured by Michael Matheson MSP, on the review, no calls were made to hold an inquiry. It is important to highlight operation Beaconport, which is overseen by the National Crime Agency. That operation is bringing policing partners together south of the border in order to develop a more effective response to group-based child sexual exploitation. I hope that that will provide a platform for Police Scotland to do further work to examine relevant cases, past and present.”
“the right systems in place to understand child sexual exploitation ... and who is perpetrating it ... so that we can prevent it from happening in the first place.” That audit made 12 recommendations in relation to tightening the law, bringing perpetrators to justice, data collection and use, and applying best practice across safeguarding agencies. We have also heard today about the Jay review of criminally exploited children, which looked at the scale and nature of the criminal exploitation of children. It was an excellent review, with recommendations spanning across policy and practice at the local and national level, investment and whole-system learning.”
“I begin by acknowledging the cabinet secretary’s update on the appointment of Professor Alexis Jay as independent chair of the national child sexual abuse and exploitation strategic group, which will work on a national review on group-based child sexual exploitation. I very much support the Government’s motion this afternoon. However, it is important to reflect on the range of work that has already been undertaken to start informing how we shift the dial in this very complex space. In her national audit report on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, Baroness Casey said: “The ... public are rightly appalled when they hear of group-based child sexual exploitation and expect it to be investigated thoroughly, offenders brought to justice and punished severely. They, undoubtedly, also expect ...”
“The first draft of the statutory guidance has been completed, civil court rule proposals have been submitted to the Scottish Civil Justice Council and we continue to work with stakeholders on all aspects of the implementation. I want to make sure that we can deliver the protections to women and girls that members have mentioned, and in the way that was intended, but without placing unmanageable pressure on those who are responsible.”
“I agree with Annie Wells that female genital mutilation is a completely barbaric practice. I welcome the Scottish Government’s continued work to understand the legal and technical changes that are required for the implementation of the FGM act. During this year’s 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, will the minister tell us a bit more about the measures that the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that legal protections against violence towards women and girls are strengthened? Kaukab Stewart: I join my colleagues on the Government benches in stressing that the Government is resolute in its commitment to implementing the 2020 act. As I said, it requires a co-ordinated approach, and we are on track with the timeline that we set earlier this year.”
“In the upcoming UK budget, there is an opportunity to unlock investment and certainty in the whole energy mix. I really hope that Rachel Reeves takes up OEUK’s offer. It is a sensible and very carefully worked out offer, and I urge her to read it. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I make another plea for more succinct answers, cabinet secretary.”
“During portfolio question time, I mentioned that Offshore Energies UK has worked across the sector to put together a proposal for the UK Government that would generate more funds for the Treasury while making investment in projects and, indeed, in the decommissioning of projects more viable for oil and gas companies. Let us face the fact that many of the oil and gas companies about which we are talking, with notable exceptions, are also investing in ScotWind projects. I share the member’s concerns. There is a knock-on effect. The EPL is disproportionate. Indeed, it feels to me like a tax on the north-east, because it is jobs in the north-east that are being taken away. Everybody who has talked about the job losses is absolutely right. It was also supposed to be a temporary measure.”
“Ensuring that we retain the workers and the skills for the green energy transition is integral to the success of new projects. However, only this week, the chief executive of Flotation Energy warned that the UK Government’s energy profits levy was “wiping out 1,000 oil and gas jobs a month—losing many of the workers whose skills” are “needed for renewable projects”. Does the cabinet secretary share my concerns that Labour’s energy policies are continuing to jeopardise Scotland’s just transition? Gillian Martin: I would go further than that: Labour’s energy policy with regard to the EPL is not just Labour’s energy policy but the energy policy that the Conservatives had. They are turning their backs on taking responsibility for that.”
“To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a response to COSLA’s request for additional funding to support local authorities in the forthcoming budget. (S6O- 05166)”
“To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to STV’s proposed changes to its news provision, including the potential impact on local and regional journalism in north-east Scotland. (S6O-05128)”
“Without intervention, however, it is likely to fall short of delivering the outcomes outlined in either scenario 1 or 2.” That concern is also reflected in the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee’s report, “The future of Scotland’s oil and gas industry”. I draw on the words of Bob Sanguinetti, chief executive at Port of Aberdeen. Earlier this week, he said: “Supporting existing energy business is the most likely way of accelerating the transition, drawing on the expertise and project management skills to deliver the vast scale of potential developments in renewables.” There is so much more to say. Again, I thank Liam Kerr for the debate. 16:47”
“It is certainly ambitious, but the reality is that the energy profits levy is costing jobs and investment. Frankly, it is infuriating that, yet again, the north-east is likely to see further job losses— this time, at Port of Aberdeen, which has experienced a 25 per cent drop in oil and gas activity over the summer. Ports are a critical part of our infrastructure for delivering manufacturing growth, so I again call on the UK Government to urgently change course on that damaging levy. The “Striking the Balance” report states: “Based on current public commitments and announcements, the UK should be able to deliver the scenario 3 outcomes.”
“I also welcome the findings in the “Transition On Our Terms” report, which states that workers want action to create “good ... unionised ... jobs” in renewable industries, and “support” for their transition into those jobs, “with profits ... returned to workers and communities”. I also welcome the latest just transition fund announcement of £8.5 million for clean energy supply chain development. Liam Kerr: I am enjoying the member’s contribution. Does she agree that what is needed is for both Scotland’s Governments to come out with a genuine, holistic strategy to govern the transition, the oil and gas industry and the energy mix? Audrey Nicoll: I will come on to policy, which is often overlooked but is absolutely crucial. In addition, the recently published UK Government “Clean Energy Jobs Plan” has emerged.”
“On offshore wind, the scenarios in the report model the delivery of 50GW, 70GW and 90GW respectively by 2030, with similar scenarios being considered across hydrogen and carbon capture, use and storage. To develop the low-case scenario of 50GW by 2030, the UK requires to install around 35GW of new wind capacity, or nearly 6GW annually. That is about one turbine each day. What does that mean for our future energy workforce? The report highlights that securing UK content to 2030 will be crucial to sustaining a world-class offshore energy supply chain and workforce. As such, energy policy must evolve to incentivise domestic production through, for example, tax and policy incentives. I welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to the oil and gas transition training fund.”
“I thank Liam Kerr for lodging his motion, which I am happy to support. I commend Professor Paul de Leeuw and the team at the Energy Transition Institute at Robert Gordon University for producing the excellent “Striking the Balance” report, which sets out predictions for the future of the UK offshore energy workforce across three scenarios and through the prisms of policy, cost pressures and industry dynamics, among others. Underpinning the analysis is some important context. First, despite the UK oil and gas industry decline, demand remains, as we heard from Liam Kerr. As such, around 70 per cent of our oil consumption will be met from imports. Secondly, global electricity and gas demand increased sharply in 2024, and transformative action is required now to meet future demand. Thirdly, Scotland’s energy future is at a critical juncture.”
“What progress is the Scottish Government making on reducing drug harms? In particular, what work is being done to target the delivery of more residential rehabilitation beds? Maree Todd: Increasing the provision of residential rehab and ensuring that it is available to everyone who wants it and for whom it is deemed to be clinically appropriate at the time when they ask for it in every part of the country is a key pillar of the national mission. We have improved access to residential rehab through the funding of eight new facilities, increasing referrals and improving local pathways. We are on track to reach our target of 1,000 publicly funded placements a year by 2025-26, with the most recent Public Health Scotland publication showing 985 confirmed records of individuals starting a publicly funded residential rehab placement.”
“The devastating decline of freshwater pearl mussels in the River Dee serves as a stark indicator that change is urgently needed. Our rivers are crucial to sustaining Scotland’s unique wildlife and biodiversity. More than that, they are central to Scotland’s brand, economy and sense of place. I again thank members for their support in lodging the motion for debate. I very much look forward to hearing colleagues’ contributions. 13:00”
“Further still, considerations could be given to land management policies that drive evidence- based, prioritised catchment-scale management, development of riparian woodland and the diversification of upland land use to protect our natural water stores. I believe that that aligns with the recently published Scottish Environment LINK report, entitled “Restoring Scotland’s Waters”, which highlights 10 key areas for improving Scotland’s freshwater ecosystems, including adopting a source-to-sea approach, restoring natural processes to rivers and lochs and tackling invasive non-native species. I look forward to hearing the cabinet secretary’s response to that proposition. The future of our rivers depends on the actions that we take today.”
“Many such projects are already supported through, for example, the Scottish Government’s nature restoration fund; the Riverwoods initiative, which co-ordinates nationwide efforts to restore and protect Scotland’s riverbank woodlands; and the peatland action project, which supports the improvement of degraded peatlands across Scotland. The Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill offers an opportunity to establish a legal framework for biodiversity targets, including in the freshwater ecosystem. However, an even greater scale of action is urgently needed. My call to action is to build on the work that is already under way and to develop a national approach to make our rivers and freshwater populations even more resilient to extreme climate events.”
“It is of concern that the Met Office is projecting that similar conditions could impact our rivers every other year by 2050. Many of our native species require colder river temperatures in which to live. As such, riparian woodland expansion not only benefits biodiversity and the overall habitat but provides much-needed shade to cool our river waters. I commend the River Dee Trust on its work to expand riparian woodland along the river. That work is absolutely vital to the long-term survival of Dee salmon. Salmon, of course, host pearl mussel larvae until they drop off, sink to the river bed and grow into mussels.”
“Additionally, pollutants become more concentrated, further degrading water quality. Although all river species are affected, those that are unable to move, such as mussels, are especially vulnerable. Water scarcity poses a significant risk to Scotland’s rivers, and the risk will grow as climate change accelerates. Just this year, we experienced our driest spring in 60 years, leaving the entirety of Scotland in varying degrees of drought. Rivers used to be able to rely on snowmelt from the mountains to ensure healthy and cooler water levels. However, due to rising temperatures, that is no longer the case. In summer 2018, it is estimated that 70 per cent of Scotland’s rivers experienced temperatures exceeding 23°C. That figure is notable, as it is the temperature at which Atlantic salmon exhibit thermal stress.”
“The report links that decline to the devastating effects of storm Frank in 2015, which caused significant damage to the river bed, rendering it largely unsuitable for mussels. The River Dee is the only river in Scotland to have suffered such a loss. However, our other rivers are similarly vulnerable. Although significant flooding is a natural and important feature of a river’s hydrology, flood events used to be infrequent, occurring once in a generation. However, there has been a marked increase in the frequency and severity of floods. The same climate pressures that have led to increased flooding also contribute to water scarcity. During periods of drought, our rivers face severe stress. Reduced water levels, rising temperatures and lower oxygen concentrations combine to create harsh conditions for aquatic life.”
“However, our rivers are under threat, causing them to become more nature depleted than ever before. Flooding is among the largest threats to Scotland’s rivers, eroding the soil from riverbanks and leading to the destruction of habitats. As the nature champion for the freshwater pearl mussel, I draw members’ attention to the findings of a 2023 NatureScot report centred on freshwater pearl mussels in the River Dee, which runs through my constituency of Aberdeen South and North Kincardine. The report found that the mussel population had decreased by 90 per cent since 2002. For context, more than 1 million freshwater pearl mussels have been lost, which is a truly shocking amount.”
“I thank colleagues from across the chamber for supporting my motion on protecting Scotland’s rivers. My thanks go, too, to Susan Cooksley from the James Hutton Institute, and Craig Macadam and Rebecca Lewis from Buglife for their support in developing the motion. I also commend the many organisations, some of which are referred to in the motion, and individuals who are working hard to protect our wonderful rivers. As the motion says, our rivers provide Scotland with stunning landscapes and a huge ecosystem of animals, plants and micro-organisms. They flow from our mountains through our glens, they cross our lowlands and they eventually reach the sea. They are the lifeblood of the landscape and are central to Scotland’s brand, economy and sense of place.”
“A recent report from Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce found that one in four businesses in the north-east has cut jobs as a result of the United Kingdom Labour Government’s fiscal regime. Does the First Minister agree that the UK Labour Government must urgently change course to protect the supply chain and local jobs? What steps can the Scottish Government take to protect industry and livelihoods in the north-east?”
“An additional £5.9 million will drive improvements in NHS Grampian’s accident and emergency performance by supporting initiatives that shift the balance of care and reduce hospital occupancy, including work on hospital at home and discharge without delay. NHS Grampian was escalated to stage 4 of the support and intervention framework in May this year, and an assurance board is now in place. That assurance board has been working with NHS Grampian to develop the whole-system unscheduled care plan and will ensure that the additional funding delivers the improvements that Audrey Nicoll is looking for.”
“I welcome the cabinet secretary’s continued focus on NHS Grampian and the significant financial challenges that it faces. It is vital that patients in my constituency receive the care that they need, when they need it. Will the cabinet secretary further outline the action that the Scottish Government has undertaken, and continues to undertake, to stabilise and support NHS Grampian to ensure that patients are able to access the care that they need, when they need it? Neil Gray: I absolutely agree with Audrey Nicoll. In this financial year, 2025-26, NHS Scotland boards received increased investment in baseline funding. NHS Grampian received more than £1.34 billion.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of the UK-wide fishing and coastal growth fund on opportunities for innovation that maximise the value created by Scotland’s seafood industry. (S6O-05094)”
“To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress being made against its public service reform strategy. (S6O-05069)”
“Although, for a small number of placements, the reason for a child to be accommodated in a particular setting will be that they have committed an offence, often things are not as clear cut as that. The reason for a placement is usually wrapped up in a number of wider considerations and broader welfare issues. Many of the children who have committed an offence are victims themselves. A rigorous matching process is in place, which safeguards children in those circumstances. When considering the referral of a child for admission to a secure care placement, the provider must carry out its own assessment of whether it can meet the needs of the child while also protecting the safety and welfare of other children in that setting.”