Maggie Mellon
Maggie Mellon (CQSW, MSc, Dip Child Protection)
I am social worker with many years’experience in both Scotland and England. Currently Trustee of PAR, Parents Advocacy and Rights, 2016- Howard League Scotland board member 2018 – Formerly Director of Services for Children 1st and Head of Public Policy for NCH Action for Children in Scotland. I was chair of the Scottish Child Law Centre from 2009 -12, Non Exec Director NHS Health Scotland 2008-16, Vice Chair, BASW Council 2014-16, Chair of BASW Policy, Ethics and Human Rights Committee 2014-16, member of PEHR 2016-20
I now work independently as a consultant on social work practice and public policy. I write and speak on issues arising from my work, particularly where these affect mothers, children and families.
Maggie Mellon (CQSW, MSc, Dip Child Protection) is a social worker with many years’ experience in both Scotland and England. She has been vice chair of the British Association of Social Workers since 2014, and also chairs the Association’s Ethics and Human Rights Committee. She was formerly Director of Services for Children 1st and Head of Public Policy for NCH Action for Children in Scotland. Chair of the Scottish Child Law Centre from 2009 -12. Currently non–executive Director of NHS Health Scotland and a member of the editorial Board of Scottish Justice Matters.
Maggie now works independently as a consultant on social work practice and public policy.
TROJAN HORSES – CHILDREN AND GENDER IDENTITY
I am going to say a few words about the Named Person law and the response to criticisms. Because it is relevant and there are several lessons from it.
Just as with gender identity, many people in social work said it was completely misguided to oppose the Named Person. Their argument seemed to be that the intentions of government were benevolent. There was cross party support, and the education and social work establishment were all for it. the problem was that the Named Person law called for unprecedented levels of intrusion into families’ lives and unprecedented breaches of confidentiality, authorising information-sharing about families’ lives across agencies in great and unnecessary and detail without that family’s knowledge or consent.
An Open Letter to John Swinney On Named Person
DEAR John Swinney, You have asked for engagement on the future of the Named Person following the ruling of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled the information sharing provisions unlawful and also cautioned that parental or child consent to share personal information should not be obtained by the threat of any possible consequences. Read more – Swinney defends Named Person scheme in wake of Supreme Court ruling Your decision to decline to...
Getting the balance right, achieving results with children and families
Maggie Mellon, Director of Children and Family Services with Children 1st. Maggie previously worked as Head of Public Policy for NCH Scotland and has written and edited a number of publications. Recorded at the Achieving Results with Children and Families conference. Source: Lriss
A time for change
In our second blog post reviewing the ‘Youth Justice in Scotland’ paper, Maggie Mellon, independent social work consultant and vice-chair of the British Association of Social Workers, makes the case for using this as an opportunity to bring about real change. CYCJ’s attempts to raise the need for reform in the treatment of children and young people who come to the attention of the authorities of offence grounds are welcome. However, it...
Baby boxes, universalism and higher taxes
In many ways the baby box provision can be understood as a heart-warming initiative here in Scotland at a time when the ‘nasty party’ in Westminster seems to be intent on destroying everything universal, and free and civic and kind. What’s not to like? Who is not a little proud of or even just simply relieved to have a government that seems to care? It seems curmudgeonly to cry ‘Bah Humbug’, or even to question whether the relatively few...
Presumption against prison – a game changer
It is perhaps the nature of things in Scotland today that two or more quite contrary views can be held by Government. The SNP is committed to independence as the solution to Scotland’s ills, but is far less unanimous about what kind of policy solutions are needed or about using the powers that ministers have to make a difference. More revenues from oil and fracking? Or leave the fossil fuel in the ground and go for green renewables? ...
The Stolen Children of England – Maggie Mellon’s Response
This is a guest post written by social worker Maggie Mellon, in response to blog posts by Sarah Phillimore previously published on this blog here and here. As with Sarah’s posts, this post is a comment piece and represents the views of the author, not necessarily that of The Transparency Project, which has a committment to the provision of accurate information and to the facilitation of debate and plurality of perspectives. Sarah Philimore has...
When it comes to sex offences against children, we need to condemn less and understand more
More heat than light has been generated by the media blitzkrieg around the future employment by Hearts of Craig Thomson, the young footballer convicted of sexual offences with underage girls. Facing the loss of sponsorship and other support, it seems Hearts probably will sack him. Will that be a happy end to the affair? I don't think so. Will it increase the protection of children and young people and promote better attitudes to...
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