Adam Ingram: I reassure the chamber that the Scottish Government stands ready to work with our partners, in consultation with carers, to improve further the lives and opportunities of all our children and particularly those in kinship care. For my part, I would also be keen to build on the parliamentary consensus that we have witnessed in tonight's debate. I will undertake to explore with all the parties'...
Adam Ingram: Local authorities take the lead in providing childcare services, working with partners in the voluntary and private sectors, to meet the needs of children, their parents and, where applicable, their other carers, including grandparents. Scottish Government financial support for childcare is included within the overall local government settlement. In addition, we support national childcare and...
Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government’s website provides a wide range of information and access to statistics that may be of interest to parents. We also continue to support many of the national parenting and children’s voluntary sector organisations which provide information on services they provide in Scottish communities. Information on local services can come from several sources, depending on the...
Adam Ingram: The issue of whether the transfer of undertakings (protection of employment) regulations (TUPE) applies is a matter of law to be determined by the relevant parties or failing that by an employment tribunal.
Adam Ingram: The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 places a legal duty on Scottish ministers to secure the provision of an advocacy service to be available on request and free of charge to support parents and young people in tribunal proceedings. The Scottish Government awarded a grant to Barnardo’s, following a competitive process, to enable it to deliver that service in...
Adam Ingram: The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 places a legal duty on Scottish ministers to secure the provision of an advocacy service to be available on request and free of charge to support parents and young people in tribunal proceedings. The Scottish Government decided to run a competitive grant process not a commercial tendering process to identify one or more...
Adam Ingram: The new Additional Support Needs National Advocacy Service will be delivered by a partnership between Barnardo’s and the Scottish Child Law Centre. Barnardo’s, which submitted the application on behalf of the partners, was informed that the application had been successful on 15 October. A short introductory meeting was held with both Barnardo’s and the Scottish Child Law Centre on 21...
Adam Ingram: The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 places a legal duty on Scottish ministers to secure the provision of an advocacy service to be available on request and free of charge to support parents and young people in tribunal proceedings. The Scottish Government decided to run a competitive grant process to identify one or more organisation that would be awarded a...
Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government is committed to supporting and improving the education of all children and young people. All children should benefit from an education system that is engaging, relevant, tailored to their needs and best prepares them for their future lives. Curriculum for Excellence should lead to improved quality of learning and teaching and increased attainment and achievement for...
Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government is providing funding totalling £65,000 to the Scottish Traveller Education Programme and up to £50,000 for the Scottish Traveller Education Programme e-Learning and Traveller Education Scotland (eLATES) in this financial year (2010-11).
Adam Ingram: This information is not available at present. Remuneration will, however, be in line with Public Sector Pay Policy Guidance for Senior Appointments, which is available on the Scottish Government website. A link to the 2010-11 guidance is attached: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/04/27100002/0 . I will write to the member as soon as the information is available and a copy will be...
Adam Ingram: The new advocacy service for parents and young people who have made a reference to the Additional Support Needs Tribunals for Scotland has been accepting references since 14 November. Barnardo's and the Scottish Child Law Centre, which are working in partnership to provide the new service, have received a number of enquiries and are already dealing with one case.
Adam Ingram: I hope that I can reassure Mr Pringle right here and now. Barnardo's and the Scottish Child Law Centre already have experienced staff in place to provide an advocacy service. The recruitment exercise is to expand the number of staff available to the service to provide both lay and legal advocacy.
Adam Ingram: I wonder what remains to be said about the bill at this stage. I would like to start by correcting Margaret Mitchell on a point of fact. I say for the record that the bill was not withdrawn. There was a draft bill in June 2009 that was consulted on and then adjusted before being introduced in February 2010. I thank members for their contributions today and yesterday, which again emphasised...
Adam Ingram: It would be remiss of me not to pay tribute to the commitment and dedication of panel members, past and present, who have created this jewel in the crown of Scottish life. I am delighted that this year's panel member recruitment campaign attracted the highest ever number of people to the system. This has been a long slog, and there have been many questions about the bill throughout the...
Adam Ingram: I am delighted to open this stage 3 debate on the Children's Hearings (Scotland) Bill—passing it will be quite a landmark achievement, considering how long it has been in the pipeline, and quite a relief, given that, as a Parliament, we have spent nearly 30 hours considering it. Our consultation with partners has shaped the bill considerably and is greatly appreciated. In fact, some...
Adam Ingram: As I said in relation to the previous group of amendments, panel member training is crucial to the success of the children's hearings system. It is integral to ensuring that we have panel members with the skills, knowledge and experience to take decisions in the best interests of children and young people. Passing responsibility for training to the national convener as the bill proposes will...
Adam Ingram: These three amendments seek to add minor and consequential amendments to schedule 5 and further repeals to schedule 6. I move amendment 119. Amendment 119 agreed to.
Adam Ingram: I am grateful to Elizabeth Smith for lodging amendments that overturn amendments 71 to 74 and 78, which were passed at stage 2. As others have said, the stage 2 amendments gave control of area support teams to local authorities, and that gave local authorities direct influence over issues such as the recruitment, selection and appointment of panel members, and decisions over training. As I...
Adam Ingram: As Mr Harper said, amendments 105 and 106 mirror amendments that he lodged at stage 2. I share Robin Harper's view that we must, where possible, seek to avoid any young person being deprived of their liberty, and this is an important debate, but the proposed change is not the right way to achieve that goal. It is important to be clear about the value and flexibility of our system. The...
