OIC’s health and wellbeing survey takes step forward

A short-term working group is to be established to create a health and wellbeing survey for Orkney’s young people, replacing the controversial version put forward by the Scottish Government last year.

During the academic year 2021/22, all local authorities in Scotland were asked by the Scottish Government to make a health and wellbeing census available to P5-S6 pupils.

While the proposed survey from the government was voluntary, it attracted national headlines due to the intimate nature of the questions, as well as concerns about the confidentiality of responses. 

The controversy continued last March, on the local level at least, when a decision was taken behind closed doors at School Place to rejected the government draft and create a local replacement. 

Despite one elected member taking credit for this decision, OIC claimed that the conclusion was reached by officers — though, with the viewpoints of councillors informing this “operational” decision.

Now, almost one year later, elected members on the education, leisure and housing committee have approved the formation of a short-life working group to create an Orkney-specific edition of the census.