Independent panel will advise over plans

An independent panel is being set up to ensure the Scottish Government’s named person plans are “workable”.

Ian Welsh, the chief executive of the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland, will chair the panel which will provide expert advice.

Its creation follows warnings of a further legal challenge to the named person policy, which involves having a single point of contact, such as a teacher or health visitor, appointed to ensure the welfare of every child.

On Wednesday, Holyrood’s education committee warned it will not be able to recommend parliamentary approval for the Children and Young People (Information Sharing) (Scotland) Bill until ministers provide “an authoritative draft” of the code of practice for information sharing.

The new Bill was created to address the Supreme Court’s finding last year that information sharing provisions in the original legislation were incompatible with the right to privacy and family life in the European Convention on Human Rights, following a legal challenge by opponents of the scheme.

The independent Getting it Right for Every Child Practice Development Panel will lead the development of a code of practice, statutory guidance and other support materials for people working with children and families.

Last week the No To Named Persons campaign group warned of the possibility of a second legal challenge, claiming the revised legislation put forward by ministers is still “vulnerable” to further court proceedings.