Publicity push for Named Persons is delayed

"A publicity campaign designed to win over critics of the Scottish Government's named person scheme has been shelved in the wake of the trial which convicted the murderers of toddler Liam Fee..."

"Ministers are also believed to have been waiting for the outcome of an appeal to the supreme court against the legality of the Children and Young Person's Act 2014, which gave named persons statutory footing. Opponents of the law have repeatedly lost in their attempts to challenge its validity."

"However with no sign of a ruling, the publicity push was promised to take place throughout June, and expected to have begun this week, had the Liam Fee case not put named persons back in the spotlight."

"One insider said: `We were expecting the campaign imminently. The public do need improved information around named persons`."

"`Those in the statutory sector and the third sector have been frustrated to see a lot of the misinformation about the policy go unchallenged. The Government has to be more assertive and reassuring - and remind parents that this is about confirming existing supports rather than anything new`."

"`We know they have been preparing information to reassure people and clarify this, but this has to be brought out soon`."

"Simon Calvert of the campaign group No to Named Persons (No2NP) said it was understandable if the campaign was delayed in the circumstances, but added: `It would be interesting to see how the Government explains its named person scheme`."

"`But parents haven’t been impressed or persuaded by the policy so far. A lot have taken the time to read the official guidance and the legislation itself and they are not convinced. They are unlikely to be taken in by any new spin on the scheme`..."

"Meanwhile at a Government child protection leadership summit in Perth ... deputy first minister John Swinney announced that former Procurator Fiscal and Chief Executive of the Crown Office, Catherine Dyer, will chair the independent child protection review commissioned by the government in February."

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/homenews/14536302.Government_delays_PR_push_to_sell_named_person_scheme_to_parents/