Question reference: S6W-03076
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 20 September 2021
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Current status: Answered by Keith Brown on 28 September 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the two groups of children referred to in its paper Bairns' Hoose - Scottish Barnahaus: Vision, Values and Approach, who are eligible for the Bairns’ Hoose, namely those “who have been victims or witnesses to abuse or violence, which has caused or likely to cause significant harm” and “children under the age of criminal responsibility whose behaviour has caused significant harm or abuse”, will be dealt with in close proximity to one another.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises that children whose behaviour has caused harm will also often be the victims of abuse or neglect. The Bairns’ Hoose will be an environment in which this context can be understood and positive interventions can be made to prevent further harmful behaviour.
A key consideration in the development of Bairns’ Hooses which will be taken into account in the development of the policy will be balancing the rights of victims and those of children whose behaviour has caused harm. We recognise the potential tension between the rights of victims and those of children whose behaviour has caused harm and, as such, addressing issues that may arise due to competing interests will be a fundamental consideration as we develop our plans for a national Bairns’ Hoose model.
Our approach is rights-based in line with the United Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), The Promise and Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) in recognising that all children must receive the right help at the right time.