Clan Childlaw Intervene in Judicial Review proceedings

Date: 11th May 2015
Category: Protection of privacy

Clan Childlaw, a charity that gives legal help to children and young people in Scotland has applied to intervene to assist the court in the ongoing judicial review proceedings regarding the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.

• Read about the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 here.

Clan Childlaw is of the view that the balance between sharing information amongst professionals and the ability of a young person to access confidential services has shifted too far towards the sharing of information, unlawfully interfering with a child's right to privacy as protected by Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. They believe it could cause children to turn their backs on services such as helplines, mental health charities, pregnancy advisory services or legal advice services.

Alison Reid, Principal Solicitor of Clan Childlaw, said: "We all want to make sure that children and young people in Scotland are protected and recognise that when child protection issues arise, these need to be shared appropriately amongst professionals. However, where there are no child protection concerns, a child, like anyone else, should be entitled to a level of confidentiality when accessing advice. This Act creates a serious risk that children and young people will not access confidential services when they are in need of help."

The full Press Release from Clan Childlaw regarding this issue can be accessed here:

• Clan Childlaw Intervene in Judicial Review proceedings to redress the balance between the Sharing of Information and a Child's right to Privacy - Press Release.