Named Person decision upheld

Date: 10th September 2015
Category: Protection of privacy, Family Environment and Alternative Care

Scotland's most senior court has ruled the Named Person service in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 is in the best interests of children and complies with law.

The Named Person role, being introduced to provide a single point of contact for families, seeks to build on the supportive role that teachers and health professionals offer to children, young people and parents. The Court's ruling stated that the legislation will have no effect on the legal, moral or social relationships within the family.

The petitioners against the Named Person, NO2NP, have said that they will now appeal to the Supreme Court in London.

• Read the Court of Session's full ruling here.

A responsive article published in the UK Human Rights Blog outlines the legislative background of the Named Person Scheme, against which the petitioners had put forward their argument of disproportionate interference. The blog also provides a discussion around the final judgement and what may happen next.

• Read the UK Human Rights Blog article here.