Consultation: New protections against wilful neglect of children (Scotland)
The Scottish Government is consulting on plans to introduce new legal protections against the ill-treatment or wilful neglect of Children under the age of 18 accessing services in Scotland.
Views are invited on the proposals to introduce of a new criminal offence of ill-treatment or wilful neglect with regard to services for children under the age of 18. The consultation also seeks views on what services should be included.
The process follows last year’s consultation on proposals to create a new criminal offence of wilful neglect or ill-treatment of people receiving care or treatment in adult health and social care services. That consultation also asked about whether a similar offence should apply in children’s social care services.
Provisions on the wilful neglect of children were not initially included within the subsequent Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Bill as the consultation which was undertaken in relation to the wilful neglect of adults indicated that there were further issues which needed to be explored.The Scottish Government now intends to ensure that children under the age of 18 are protected from similar offences to the ones currently included in the Bill.
The consultation process will run until Wednesday 28 October 2015.
