Scottish Government response: One Record and Unshaken.

On 8 October we wrote to Scotland’s Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise. We asked the Scottish Government to back One Record and adopt the Unshaken standard. Siobhian Brown MSP replied on 2 November.

Read the full letter (PDF)

What they told us

• One Record

  Scotland pointed to its 2023 National Guidance for Child Protection. When a child on the child protection register moves, the old council notifies the new one, and the letter says the same principles apply across UK borders. It confirms the register “has no legal status”. It says Scottish councils will share information with a family’s new council if there are concerns of risk of harm. It made no commitment to a single record that follows the child.

• Offender identity

  Scotland said sex offender notification requirements apply whatever name is used, that disclosure applications ask for previous names, and that it worked with the UK Government on the name-change provisions in the Crime and Policing Act 2026.

• Unshaken

  Every NHS Board in Scotland now runs the ICON programme. Each board decides which parts to deliver and when, and meets its own costs for materials. There was no commitment to required preparation for foster, adoptive or kinship carers.

What happens next

Child protection, social work and health are devolved, so One Record and Unshaken are within the Scottish Government’s power to act on. We are pressing for direct answers on both, and will publish the reply.

Also read the Welsh Government’s response.