Outline guidance on GIRFEC provisions in CYP Act published

Date: 14th April 2014
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

The Scottish Government's 'Proposal for the development of guidance to support the GIRFEC provisions in the Children and Young People Act 2014' has been published.

It signals the start of an engagement process with stakeholders to develop the full statutory guidance.

The document is a proposed outline of the full statutory guidance that will support Parts 4 (Named Person), 5 (Child's Plan) and 18 (General) of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.

The aim of this guidance framework document is to provide some contextual background to the legislative provisions in relation to the Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) approach, its implementation across Scotland, and to indicate the areas and issues which will be covered by the full statutory guidance.

Within the section on information sharing, the document states that "guidance will make clear how information sharing should be taken forward within the existing legal framework, with a clear focus on the rights and wellbeing of the child or young person."

Under the definition of wellbeing, the document refers to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and highlights the "importance of parents, carers and practitioners in children's services recognising every child's right to be treated with respect and dignity at all times, regardless of their age, gender or social, religious and cultural background, regardless of what they may have done or failed to do. Respect and being respected are multi-dimensional concepts. Every child or young person has the right to express their views on matters that directly affect them, and to have those views given due weight in accordance with their age and maturity by the adults who care for them or come into contact with them in a professional or personal capacity."

• Download the document here.