Jason O’Flynn, the Perth & Kinross representative at the Scottish National Parent Forum has asked every Parent Council in the region to find out what you, the parents, think of the Evidence2Success survey recently carried out by Perth and Kinross Council and NHS Tayside.
In February, all children in Perth and Kinross from primary 5 upwards took part in the Council’s Evidence2Success survey. PKC describes this as “engaging communities to increase the involvement local people have in decision making and other actions”.
However, some parents have expressed reservations about the survey. Their concerns include:
- Not enough effort was made to gain the parent’s consent: some parents say they didn’t receive the letter the council sent out. And the survey was opt-out, rather than opt-in.
- That consent wasn’t informed: had they seen the kind of questions in advance, some parents say they would not have given consent for the children to take part.
- Questions were inappropriate to the children’s age: with 9-year-olds being asked if they took specific, named drugs; if they or their friends carried knives to school and so on.
- Some questions were intrusive: with children asked to comment on who lives in their home with them; their relationship with their parents; their weight; their sex lives and so on.
- The data can be linked back to each child: parents were told the survey was confidential, but each child was asked to enter their date of birth and their Scottish Candidate Number.
Some parents have even complained to the Scottish Information Commissioner; claiming that the survey breaches the Data Protection Act 1998.
Perth and Kinross strongly refutes this claim and stands by the survey. A PKC spokesperson said:
“The aim of the project is to help us work with communities to significantly improve the health and wellbeing of children, young people and their families in Perth and Kinross. The approach involves members of the Community Planning Partnership … working with the social research unit at Dartington to refine existing and develop new approaches to service provision. “
See the full quote in The Courier.
What do you think about the survey?
- Do you support Evidence2Success?
- Do you have any concerns or questions?
- Would you have liked greater consultation before hand?
Tell us what you think! Either post on this item or mail us at contact@breadalbaneparents.com
If you haven’t seen the surveys yet, you can see them here: