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Named Person guide publicises highly intrusive role

Attendees of a GIRFEC event were given a guide that lists examples of things the named person will check up on.

A guide to the Scottish Government’s controversial Named Person plans shows that the named person “is intended to take a highly intrusive role”, a campaign group has said.

NO2NP made the remarks ahead of an event for the Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) initiative.

Attendees of the event received a leaflet called ‘An Easy Read guide to getting it right for every child’, which lists examples of things that the named person will check up on.

Highly intrusive role

A spokesman for NO2NP said: “This leaflet confirms that the Named Person is intended to take a highly intrusive role in ordinary family life.

“It’s effectively an admission that critics of the scheme have been right all along.”

The long list of things which the named person, as well as teachers, doctors and social workers, will check includes that:

  • “Your child gets a say in things like how their room is decorated and what to watch on TV”
  • “You trust your child to do the right thing”
  • “Your child does activities they like to do”
  • “Your child can be part of a group like Scouts, Brownies or a football group if they want to”.

    • Right all along

    The NO2NP spokesman added: “It is exactly the kind of invasive behaviour we’ve been warning about.”

    He said it was “outrageous” for a named person to adjudicate “on the family’s decisions about décor and who holds the TV remote control”.

    “In the past the Scottish Government and their officials have attempted to dismiss opponents of this scheme for exaggerating its impact. Clearly, we were right all along”.

    State monitoring

    He went on to warn that parents are facing “a level of state monitoring of the minutiae of parenting that is unprecedented in our history”.

    He concluded: “This is not about protecting vulnerable children. It is not about helping families who want help. It is about policing parenting according to a state ‘happiness’ index.”

    Earlier this month a lawyer representing the Scottish Government conceded that there is no opt out to the controversial Named Person scheme.

    Appeal

    This came during a judicial review against the plans, brought by The Christian Institute, CARE, Tymes (The Young ME Sufferers) Trust, Family Education Trust and concerned parents.

    The judges considering the appeal, Lord Carloway, Lord Malcolm and Lord Bracadale, have retired to consider their verdict. A decision is not expected for several weeks.

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