Revising ‘Scotland's National Performance Framework’: briefing update

Date: 13th May 2014
Category: Basic Health and Welfare
Author: ScotLink

This briefing is offered as a contribution to the current review of the National Performance Framework, and is the result of collaboration between some of Scotland's leading civil society organisations.

The National Performance Framework (NPF) was set out in 2007 as a 10 year vision, reflecting priorities for Scotland as outlined in Manifesto commitments, the Government Economic Strategy, Programme for Government and Spending Review documents. It is a single framework to which all public services in Scotland are aligned, to help encourage more effective partnership working.

This briefing represents a current review of the National Performance Framework and the Scotland Performs process (and website) through which the Framework is linked to indicators and progress is reported. It updates the briefing published in September 2011 in light of progress and developments in the intervening two years.

Within the NPF, national wellbeing is covered through a wide range of social and environmental indicators and targets including mental wellbeing, income distribution and carbon emissions as well as economic growth. These indicators reflect some of the children's rights as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). For example, the UNCRC promotes the right of all children to the highest attainable standard of health which takes into consideration the dangers and risks of environmental pollution (Article 24) and the right to a standard of living adequate for the child's physical, mental and social development (Article 27). All jurisdictions in the UK are obliged to take forward the rights enshrined in the UNCRC to ensure that all children and young people have their rights realised.