Is protest against the Named Person merely a political gesture?

We know about the wellbeing triangle but do look out for other triangles. It is fascinating how ubiquitous they are in the literature of governments and think tanks and does give an indication of the mindset behind the messages.

Below is the Scottish Procurement Triangle where sustainability is embedded in everything they do; delivering savings and benefits; maximising efficiency and collaboration and improving supplier access to public contracts. Round and round the triangle they go - maximising, collaborating, improving...

 

Only it is rubbish. A flat two dimensional triangle does not represent the real world, no matter how much it is dressed in pretty primary colours.

Not only that, it is becoming more obvious as each day passes that the Scottish Government, despite years of preparation, is ill equipped to implement the Named Person provision of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.

 

As the Scottish Mail on Sunday has learned "Some health boards are suffering from an acute shortage of properly trained staff, raising fears they will struggle to meet the Government`s demands." 

NHS Lothian, one of the country`s biggest health boards, has admitted it has so few health visitors that they will each have to act as Named Person for up to 350 children... 

During their house calls, health visitors will monitor every child`s well-being, while checking the family`s parenting skills, finances and mental health. Those judged to be falling short can be referred to professionals such as doctors and social workers. A report by Sall Egan, NHS Lothian associate director of strategic planning, states: "There is a national shortage of qualified health visitors and an extensive training programme is underway across all NHS boards. 

http://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-scottish-mail-on-sunday/20151206/281960311683308/TextView

Many have protested and there are predictable consequences of this folly expressed in the Herald recently by Ruth Davidson: 

When a child somewhere in Scotland who desperately needs help and intervention is overlooked as their 'named person' has dozens of other perfectly healthy and happy children on the books and can't take the time for the child who needs it?

And this is my real concern. What happens when something goes wrong? When a child somewhere in Scotland who desperately needs help and intervention is overlooked as their `named person` has dozens of other perfectly healthy and happy children on the books and can`t take the time for the child who needs it?"

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14111244.Ruth_Davidson___Named_person__for_every_child_could_lead_to_another_Baby_P_tragedy/

"Protest comes from thinking that when you are looking for a needle in a haystack why make the haystack bigger?  The Scottish Government seems intent on investigating the whole haystack. "

Is it likely that the Scottish Government will U-turn, or bend, to the pressure of Ruth Davidson and others?

 

Not likely. This is performance.

Just think about triangles and the integrated databases that have been put in place and who those databases will serve.

 

Just ask, who is there at the top of the triangle?  Why has opposition to the Named Person policy been so delayed?