Children and Young People Bill – An Introduction
The Scottish Government is currently working on a Children and Young People Bill that will be introduced to Parliament for approval in 2013.
The bill is intended to contribute to the Scottish Government’s aim of giving all Scotland’s children the best possible start. The Minister for Children and Young People, Aileen Campbell recently encapsulated this ambition, “This Government’s vision for children and young people is clear: We want Scotland to be the best place in the world for them to grow up. A place where rights are respected and where children can access all the opportunities and support they need, when they need it.”
It focuses on taking forward the following key areas:
- More effective Rights for Children and Young People
Promoting and raising awareness of the rights of children and young people. Reporting on progress to further their rights and extending the powers of Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People.
- Early Learning and Childcare
Improving access to high quality, flexible early learning & childcare for all children.
- Getting it Right for Every Child
Support for all children from birth up to leaving school with provisions made for children and young people in special circumstances. A named person and Child’s Plan will help address all circumstances that are getting in the way of improving a child’s or young person’s wellbeing.
The changes in the proposed bill are part of a shift from the concept of ‘welfare’ to one of ‘wellbeing’. The definition of ‘wellbeing’ is more all-encompassing, capturing the full range of factors that affect a child and young person’s lives.
Through the bill there will be a requirement on public bodies to work together to jointly design plan and deliver their policies and services to ensure they are focussing on improving children’s wellbeing.
- Getting it Right for Looked after Children
Improving the right to support over the age of 21, addressing the needs of kinship care, corporate parenting and the use of the national adoption register.
We will be focusing on each of these areas in the next four weeks on Engage, breaking them down and examining in more detail what the bill is aiming to achieve as well as asking you questions around key areas.
In the meantime, if you would like to find out more about the bill or have your say register in the formal consultation you can access it online:
Public Consultation – Children and Young People Bill
The Scottish Government’s public consultation on the Children and Young People Bill runs from 4 July to 25 September 2012, on proposals for new legislation to help makeScotland the best place for children to grow up.
Have your say – Children and Young People Bill Consultation [Closes - 25/09/12].
Follow ongoing discussion around the Bill and other related areas via the hash tag: #bestplacetogrowup
About the author
The Children & Families team work across government and with delivery partners to develop policy and help turn it into changes to services for children, young people and their families – making sure they get the help and support they need, when they need it. Our policies put the child’s needs first, and aim to keep them safe from harm. Further information
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Their child has a learning disability and therefore is unable to sign paperwork. There are too many officials demanding that people with learning disabilities do things that they are unable to do (who have no understanding, or who appear to understand everything, or who agree to everything said to them even though they don’t really understand what was said to them).
Officials don’t understand this. Too many agencies and other organisations with paperwork to complete insist the paperwork be signed by a disabled person, and they also refuse to accept the word of the carer or the signature of the carer on behalf of the disabled person.
It is a huge battle for parents, a battle that parents have to fight over and over and over again with each agency or official they meet. Will no-one ever learn? It is time these people got some training, perhaps from the parent carer forums that are led by carers in each Borough (see National Network for Parent Carer Forums, nnpcf.org.uk).
So I would like to re-iterate the words of the article, “Please contact your MP this weekend to ask them to attend the debate next week”, and to speak out for fairer treatment for families and friends who care.
The article about the children and young people bill was very interesting. I am a law student and found this web site very helpful in my studies. I have referred many of my friends to this site. Keep up the good work.