Brandon paper begins journey

A PETITION, prompted by the case of Dundee tot Brandon Muir and calling for the introduction of a “safe guardian” law, took its first steps through parliament yesterday.

The Scottish Parliament’s Petitions Committee, meeting at Holyrood, agreed to take forward the Real Justice4Brandon campaign’s plea to allow vulnerable children to be fast-tracked into the care of other screened family members, if they are deemed to be at risk of abuse from a parent.

However, the MSPs warned that each case must be dealt with individually and that there was no “tidy” solution which would suit all circumstances.

Real Justice4Brandon said their proposal could have saved the 23-month-old’s life and has the support of his biological father John Paul Muir and paternal aunt Dayna Garty.

Brandon died at the hands of his mother’s boyfriend Robert Cunningham in March last year, which resulted in national media attention and two inquiries into social services in the city.

Allan Petrie, who lodged the 381-signature petition with the parliament on behalf of Real Justice4Brandon, said he was delighted that the proposal had been accepted by the committee.

“This is the first step in the process,” he told The Courier following the meeting. “We put forward the proposal and it seems like it’s all come together.

“It’s now in the hands of parliamentarians and they will take on the research—but if it wasn’t a workable document it would just have been thrown out today.”

He added, “There’s never going to be a magic wand for this, but this plan is something that can prevent a lot of abuse happening, and where abuse is going on, can help to deal with it quickly.

“If there is a risk to a child then a family carer can be checked immediately and the child can go to them immediately so they can be safe.”

The parliamentary committee agreed to consult with the Scottish Government, the British Association of Adoption and Fosterers, the Association of Social Work Directors and Kinship Care Scotland, before considering their responses.

Mr Petrie said he believed the professional organisations consulted by parliament would back the plan, as it would “ease the burden” on those carers and social workers already stretched by the need to provide care to those at risk.

“We’re hoping that they will come through in support of this system,” he said.

“For instance, we’re hoping that the directors of social work will see this as a way of easing the burden on them.

“If members of the affected family can take on at-risk children then that will ease the pressure on the service.

“This was started by us as a working document and opportunity for debate and now the issue has been raised.”

However, MSPs said there was no “prescription” which could prevent children being abused at the hands of their families.

North East Scotland nationalist MSP and former Dundee City councillor Nigel Don said, “We’re looking at a situation where members of the affected family would be rather higher up the list of those to whom the authorities turn.

“I have no idea how we get the balance right—we just have to talk to government and get them to show us a way through.

“There is not going to be a tidy answer here. Sometimes the extended family are the right people and sometimes they are not.

“There is no prescription which can solve this.”

While sympathising with the proposal, Green MSP Robin Harper said the matter was of regulation rather than a need to change the law.

He said, “The way things work at the moment there’s nothing to stop a kinship carer being able to care for a child who’s at risk—it’s just that kinship carers would like the first option to offer their services.

“There should not be an assumption that kinship care is right or necessary.

“The best people should be put in charge. Sometimes it is the extended family that are the child’s problem.”