State snoopers ‘being introduced by stealth’
‘STATE snoopers’ are playing an ever bigger role in the lives of young Scots, despite Supreme Court judges ruling it breaches their human rights.
Opponents of the SNP’s Named Person scheme fear a desperate Scottish Government is trying to introduce the controversial policy ‘by stealth’.
The Scottish Mail on Sunday has found several examples of health and council chiefs working as if the legislation were already in place or imminent.
Some parts of Scotland continue to trial the scheme, despite it being put on hold almost two years ago when the UK’s most senior court ruled it breached the European Convention on Human Rights.
Under the plans, every child in Scotland under the age of 18 would have a Named Person appointed by the State to constantly check on their ‘well-being’. This would be a health visitor for pre-school children, or a teacher for older ones.
Job adverts, policy announcements and responsibility for crucial areas – such as mental health or missed hospital appointments – are featuring Named Persons.
Yet it is still not clear when, or even if, a legal version of the scheme might be revealed by Education Secretary John Swinney.
Holyrood’s Education Committee has refused to scrutinise the first stage of a revised Bill until he publishes a new code of practice. This is expected to address the key Supreme Court concern, that the scheme breaches children’s rights to privacy by allowing personal data to be shared without the child or their parents being aware.
Yesterday, the Scottish Government confirmed that a group tasked with working on the code would not report until September.
Meanwhile, despite continuing doubts about the scheme’s legality, councils remain committed to appointing Named Persons.
In February, council umbrella body Cosla published a children and young people plan to ensure ‘Named Person policy can be fully operationalised’. A separate children and young people plan by East Lothian health and council chiefs envisages a Named Person service, assuming it will be ‘law’ by 2018 – although that is now highly unlikely.
According to NHS Dumfries and Galloway, ‘health visitors are undertaking the Named Person duties for all pre-school children’.
NHS Forth Valley’s ‘information for professionals’ section says Named Persons refer children and adolescents to mental health services, while NHS Highland wants Named Persons to check up on any children who miss hospital appointments.
Last night, a spokesman for the No to Named Persons (NO2NP) campaign said: ‘The UK Supreme Court unambiguously declared the Scottish Government’s “state snooper” Named Person scheme to be illegal. Since then nothing has changed, yet we are seeing it being implemented by stealth, without consent or approval.’
The Scottish Government said: ‘Named Person is an integral part of the Getting it Right for Every Child approach.
‘An independent panel announced last year is working to ensure the code of practice, statutory guidance and other materials required to support implementation of Named Person are workable, comprehensive and user friendly.’
‘Implemented without consent or approval’