A campaign to challenge Scotland’s controversial Named Person scheme has officially launched at a conference in Edinburgh today.
Over 200 people attended the No to Named Persons conference featuring discussion from parents, journalists and academics on the SNP’s widely criticised state guardian measures.
Although the scheme will not be fully implemented until August 2016, many parents believe the scheme has already undermined their role in the family.
Confidential
On Thursday it emerged that the NHS is currently using the Scottish Government guidance to justify sharing children’s confidential medical reports with head teachers, and notifying them of missed appointments.
One parent told the No to Named Person campaign that State officials held secret meetings about her son who suffers from complex physical illnesses and did not consult her to determine his treatment.
Question and answer session at the NO2NP conference.
Donna Mackie, who was forced to move away from the Highlands where the scheme is already operating, said: “Our concerns about Joseph weren’t taken into consideration and Joseph’s own concerns weren’t really taken into consideration”.
Family rights
Another concerned parent, who home schools her children, believes she has already been a victim of the Named Person scheme as she and her family have been harassed by state officials.
Mother of five, Janet McDermott, who lives in Glasgow, said she experienced constant interference because her children were not registered with a school or nursery.
She said: “I see someone else having rights over my child as a violation of my human rights. It’s a violation of family rights. And I don’t believe that an outsider who doesn’t know my children should have a say over what kind of things they should be doing”.
She added: “I don’t think that any good can come about where someone else is a cooperative parent for your own child”.
Usurp
The campaign, backed by the Scottish Parent Teacher Council, Schoolhouse, CARE and The Christian Institute, has raised £30,000 to fund a legal challenge.
Colin Hart, Director of The Christian Institute said: “The state seems intent on usurping the role of parents and reducing them to helpless spectators in the lives of their children.
“Mums and dads should be very afraid of this kind of Big Brother invasion into their lives and their homes.”