Children and Young People Bill – Getting it Right for Every Child
The Scottish Government is currently working on a Children and Young People Bill that will be introduced to Parliament for approval in 2013.
Read: Engage CYP Bill – An introduction.
The bill is intended to help realise the Scottish Government’s ambition for Scotland’s children:
“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.” – Children’s Minister, Aileen Campbell.
We have already focused on Children’s Rights and Looked After Children now we are examining the implications with regard to Getting it Right for Every Child, which proposes a shift in emphasis from ‘welfare’ to ‘wellbeing’.
GETTING IT RIGHT FOR EVERY CHILD (GIRFEC)
Bill aim:
Better support for all children from birth, and for those with complex needs, ensuring that support is jointly coordinated by agencies to the Child’s personal needs and circumstance.
Bill proposals:
‘Welfare’ vs. ‘Wellbeing’ – What’s the difference?
The changes in the proposed bill are part of a shift from the concept of ‘welfare’ to one of ‘wellbeing’. The Bill uses the term as 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 focusing on improving Childrens’ wellbeing.
- Establishing a Named Person
From birth to 18, every Child in Scotland will have a named person who they can seek assistance from. A typical example may be that this would start with a healthcare professional and then latterly move to become a local authority representative, eg. an education professional. As this is child-centred, it may vary depending individual circumstances and the child’s needs.
- Single Child’s Plan
Where specialist services are delivering additional support to a child, all services (eg. health, education, social work, police, etc) are required to work jointly, constructing a single plan for the child’s wellbeing with input from the child and considering their immediate and long term future.
The use of a named person and the single child’s plan are both key elements of the GIRFEC approach – a best-practice framework currently used by some professionals. You can find out more about it on the Scottish Government website.
Children and Young People Bill – Public Consultation [Closes - 25/09/12]
The Scottish Government’s consultation on the Children and Young People Bill runs from 4 July to 25 September 2012, on proposals for new legislation to help make Scotland the best place for children to grow up.
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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