Two child contact consultations open

Two consultations have been opened by the Scottish Government on implementing provisions of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020 dealing with aspects of child contact disputes.

The first covers the establishment of the registers of child welfare reporters, curators ad litem appointed in cases under s 11 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, and solicitors who can be appointed when an individual has been prohibited from conducting their own case. The last situation covers both cases under s 11 and court proceedings arising from children’s hearings.

Ministers are seeking feedback on responsiblilty for operating and managing the register of child welfare reporters, the proposed process for inclusion on the register, the proposed three year retention period on the register and the proposed reappointment process.

The second consultation concerns the new powers to regulate child contact centres and asks what minimum standards should be included in regulation, staff training standards, the inspection regime and other matters.

Click here for the registers consultation, and here for the contact centres consultation. Both run until 12 July 2021.