A survey revealed that Frontline staff who will take on the role of “Named Persons”, once the Scottish Government scheme will be rolled out in August, have growing fears about possible implications.
Based on the survey conducted by public services union Unison, more than half of the respondents are not prepared for the responsibilities they have to take. This led to a conclusion that it is not sensible to push ahead with this scheme at this time.
There are several concerns that health visitors raised.
- How families will react to named persons. Parents might feel resentful and refuse the health visiting service.
- The service might be used as scapegoats in the event that children do not meet their potential, are harmed, or when parents think they do not receive what they are entitled to.
- Other services may be dumped on health visitors, and the lack of qualified staff to deliver the service safely may further worsen the situation.
According to a spokesman by the Scottish Government, there are 500 extra health visitors taken in to help deal with the change. They are investing in the health visitor workforce, so that families will have “a contact they can trust in the early years of their child’s life who will always have their best interests at heart”.
The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 was introduced as part of the Getting it Right for Every Child strategy. The aim was to make Scotland the best place in the world where children can grow up without fear and with a bit of extra support.
But the scheme has been met with strong opposition from campaign groups, with the exception of children’s organisations.
Still, it will come into force on 31 August this year. The scheme has even rolled out in some parts of Scotland, including Angus, Edinburgh, Fife, Highland and South Ayrshire.
