So your child misses a doctor's appointment. No big deal. Reschedule. Take care of it later, right?
Not in the society that Scotland is becoming, with its Big Brother-type laws and regulations, including a bill passed by the Scottish Parliament that appoints a "named person" to each child to serve as a "guardian" and monitor his or her well-being.
The U.K.'s Christian Institute, which is mounting a court challenge to the law, says parents have been getting letters from their National Health Service physicians saying, "We are now required to inform the Named Person for your child if your child fails to attend an appointment."
The NHS explained: "All children now have a Named Person. If your child is pre-school it is the health visitor and if your child is at school it is the head teacher."
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The institute said one family that received the letter told the Scottish Daily Mail: "We were absolutely shocked. The health board seems to be acting in advance of the law being implemented.
"'They are certainly jumping the gun given the government has said the scheme is not to come into force for another two years. But it shows the extent to which the law will impact on families and their private lives.'"
WND has reported on the Big Brother move several times, including recently when the Scottish government was notified formally of a legal challenge to its plan.
The Christian Institute said its lawyers have sent a letter to the government detailing the case, charging lawmakers are overstepping their authority.
The scheme is described by the institute as "invasive" of families.
It's an "invasion of the most grotesque nature which undermines the rights and responsibilities of ordinary mums and dads who are trying their best to raise their children in the best way they see fit," said Colin Hart, the head of the Christian Institute.
"In the circumstances, we are seeking an undertaking that the Scottish government will not bring the act into force pending the outcome of this legal action," he said.
The legislation would appoint, for all children from birth to age 18, a state guardian, such as a health worker or teacher.
The Children and Young People Act, however, already has been condemned by a prominent human rights lawyer, Aidan O'Neill, who said in a legal opinion that the measure amounted to "unjustified interference" and "may be unlawful."
It appears to violate the European Convention on Human Rights, which calls for governments to respect "private and family life," he said.
WND has reported the idea for a government watchdog for each child comes from the philosophy of the United Nations.
"This law shows the natural progression for a country that has ratified the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child and attempts to live up to its treaty provisions," said Michael Donnelly, the director of international relations for Home School Legal Defense Association.
HSLDA has been exposing the pitfalls of the U.N. treaty, which has not been adopted by the United States.
The Scotland bill would have a social worker or other government worker "promote, support and safeguard the well being" of the child according to the standards of the state.
The bill includes vast data collection, which could be shared with just about anyone with or without the parents' consent.
HSLDA warned the Children and Young People Bill is part of a larger government policy initiative in Scotland called "Getting it Right for Every Child," or GIRFEC, a response to the U.N. treaty.
"The children and families of Scotland have been sold for GIRFEC gold" by 105 members of the Scottish parliament, said a representative of Schoolhouse HEA, the Scottish homeschooling advocacy group, "including those who so squealed loudly over ID cards, yet didn't raise a whimper over the wholesale collection and sharing of every child's (and associated adult's) personal data."
The Scottish organization worries that the term "well being" can be broadly defined.
Quoting the law, the group said well being is based on indicators such as being "safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, active, respected, responsible, included."
Schoolhouse HEA said that with the exception of "safe," none of the "well being" indicators "is of itself an indicator of a child at risk."
"Therefore, they are not necessary for the state to mandate as thresholds for compulsory involvement in family life by the named person."
WND also previously reported that the program comes with a massive $50 million price tag.
The Christian Institute noted the Royal College of Nursing is warning that the scheme will require at least 450 new health "visitors," or health inspectors, to be employed by the government.
Hart warned, under the plan, "Ordinary Scots should be very afraid."
The Express reported that doctors are telling families they are required to be informants regarding a child's appearance at doctor's appointments and more.
Hart told the newspaper, "This is the kind of situation we have been warning about since MSPs decided to meddle with the rights of families to have a private life. The state seems intent on usurping the role of parents and reducing them to helpless spectators in the lives of their children."