Conference marks 10 years of Children Act
Parliament's new programme may mean Act requires overhaul, says organiser
A conference taking place today will examine the impact and possible need for amendment to the Children (Scotland) Act of 1995.
The "Children (Scotland) Act 1995: a tenth anniversary review" conference, organised by Children in Scotland, will feature a keynote address from the Scottish Commissioner for Children, Kathleen Marshall.
Topics under discussion include the implications for children of the 20 new bills to be presented to the Scottish Parliament under the programme announced by the First Minister this week. Among these are the Adoption Bill, the bill to reform the children’s hearings system and measures affecting the way in which children’s services in Scotland are delivered.
Jennifer Turpie, director of policy and research at Children in Scotland, said that if significant changes are made in these areas, the Children (Scotland) Act may need amendment or replacement.
The Act meant, she said, that “Children’s rights to be heard, and for their welfare always to come first, were for the first time enshrined in Scottish law. It also moved away from the then common understanding that parents have rights over their children to the recognition that children are citizens in their own right.”
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