Concern raised over proposals for UK Counter Terrorism Bill

Date: 30th January 2015
Category: Non-discrimination, General measures of implementation

Together has co-signed a letter to the Herald highlighting the implications of proposals outlined in a UK Government consultation on a Counter Terrorism Bill.

The letter was sent to the 'Herald' newspaper by Children in Scotland to raise awareness of proposed new legal duties that would require staff to report on children in their care judged to be at risk of involvement in terrorism.

The letter was co-signed by Together (Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights) and Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People, alongside 9 other sector organisations including BEMIS and Scottish Refugee Council.

The proposed duties, part of the Counter Terrorism and Security Bill, require public, private and voluntary providers to have regard to the need to prevent people from becoming involved in terrorism and to monitor and report on behaviours. Among many staff caring for and working with children, these duties would fall on, for example, the childminder of a three-year old and the nursery teacher of a two-year-old.

The letter raises concern that the duties would distance and alienate certain families and communities and infringe on the rights of children set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

The letter was published in the Herald on Friday 30th January 2015.

• Read the letter here.

The Herald also published a news story relating to the letter.

• Read the news story here.

 

Access the Children in Scotland news article here.