Massive state power just takes a few hours training

(Daily Mail July 22)

"...Critics hit out at the vast state powers which, if the court challenge fails could be conferred on individuals next month after just two-and-three-quarter hours of training - the duration reported in the Borders."

"The brief training comes despite the need to ensure health visitors - the Named Persons for pre-school children - have been trained to assess the development, speech and needs of children and parents."

"The Scottish Government insists that health visitors, and teachers for schoolchildren, are already highly trained."

"The importance of proper guidance was highlighted last month when senior youth work practitioner Dr Simon Knight warned of fears that overzealous state guardians could bring their `prejudices` to the job and act on behaviour they simply don`t like, such as a parent drinking a glass of wine in front of their child."

"Simon Calvert, of campaign group No to Named Persons, said: `It takes a minimum of five year to train a social worker specialising in child protection."

"`Yet on the basis of just a few hours` instruction, the Named Person is sold as a life-saving child protection scheme."

"`The expectation ministers have built up around the Named Person policy is putting huge pressure on teachers and health visitors who, whilst they may be brilliant in their chosen profession, are not trained, experienced child protection experts in the way that social workers are.`"