Report to the People
19th September 2005
Ask the Family
There’s always going to be tension
when family life and the law meet. People,
naturally, resent the idea of the state interfering in their private affairs.
So,
as MSPs continue to shape the Family Law Bill, which cleared its first major
parliamentary hurdle last week, the emphasis must be on the law only getting
involved where absolutely necessary. Indeed,
if your domestic affairs are running smoothly, you shouldn’t even know it’s
there.
There
will inevitably be arguments along the way, but Scotland has a proud record of
building its family law system on a foundation of common sense.
Take the Children’s Hearing system.
When
young people are in danger or get into trouble, it’s the job of the trained
volunteers on the panel to decide how to sort them out.
This doesn’t take a list of qualifications as long as your arm.
It takes a level head, experience of the real world and the ability to
handle the responsibility of making big decisions about young people’s lives.
Were
it not for these volunteers generously giving their time, the system couldn’t
operate. And, while Inverclyde is
lucky enough to have many public spirited panel members, new recruits are always
welcome. Also, as the three panel
members who make up a children’s hearing cannot all be male or female, they
need more men on the books.
The
latest recruitment drive is coming to an end, but if you’re quick off the
mark, you can log on to http://www.childrens-hearings.co.uk
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