The Scottish Government’s plan to force a state guardian on every young person in Scotland has been blasted as an “assault on the responsibility of parents and families”.
The Scottish Conservatives used their parliamentary business in Holyrood today to urge the SNP to rethink its controversial named person plans.
The proposals, as part of the Scottish Government’s Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) drive, would see all zero to 18-year-olds given a “named person” such as a teacher or social worker.
But experts have repeatedly criticised the move, saying it is unaffordable, and intrusion on people’s right to family life, and will dilute resources for those most in need.
And in today’s debate, the Scottish Conservatives said it “fundamentally changes the relationship between children and their parents”.
Scottish Conservative young people spokeswoman Liz Smith said:
“The universal aspect of this policy is so wrongheaded.
“Some police colleagues fear that by making it compulsory for every child it will be much less possible to direct sufficient attention to those who need it most or, worse still, they fear that they will miss that very vulnerable child altogether because of extensive paper work and bureaucracy.
“They warn of the problems of delayed wellbeing assessments which could cause delays in removing children from abusers.
“How sad it would be that, in some cases, the policy could have the exact opposite effect of what was desired in the first place.
“In recent months the Scottish Government has gone on a major charm offensive to persuade parents that all is well and that named persons are really in their best interests.
“But while parents can choose not to engage and not accept the advice or help from a named person, the consequences of such an action are potentially deemed to be unsafe for the wellbeing of their child.
“More worryingly, the authority rests with the named person over how any such declaration of autonomy will be viewed.
“If there are thousands of parents across Scotland doing a thoroughly good job – and there are – then what right does the Scottish Government have to tell them that the state knows better?
“What on earth is the point of insisting that these families have a named person on exactly the same basis as those families who face genuine problems?
“The logic is entirely lost on most people.
“Expecting all children to have a named person is an assault on the responsibility of families and parents for whom there are no problems.
“This policy is wrong on two counts.
“It fundamentally changes the relationships between children and their parents, and between families and professionals, because the assumption is that all children will benefit from having the facility to contact an agent of the state.
“Secondly, it threatens to diminish the crucial support which we can offer our most vulnerable children – the very children we all agree should receive the greatest support and assistance.
“It has become the favourite mantra of the Scottish Government to rebut any criticism of the policy to say that ‘most parents and children will never have any need of a named person’.
“That is precisely why it shouldn’t insist they have them in the first place.”