Detailed provisions
Review of children’s ability to participate
112.Section 31 of the Act places a duty on the Scottish Ministers to review the effect of the Act on children’s participation in the making of various types of decisions which affect them and in relation to which their views are required to be sought and taken into account. It lists the decisions to be covered in the review by reference to the various provisions which set out a duty to take and have regard to views and requires the review to consider questions of resource.
113.The review must be completed no later than five years after Royal Assent. The Scottish Ministers must make the report of the review publically available. The review must also set out the steps, if any, the Scottish Government intend to take in light of the review. If any of these steps are not to be taken within the parliamentary session during which the report is laid before the Parliament, the review must provide an explanation of why that is the proposed course of action.