Concerns have been raised by a local councillor about a controversial children’s survey for 9-16 year olds, which he feels are inappropriate and intrusive.

Conservative Tom Marshall has questioned why the survey includes questions about drug-taking, relationships with parents, thieving, knives, and drugs.

Speaking to the ‘News’, Cllr Marshall said: “These surveys are akin to unsolicited phone calls that are received and are an unsolicited intrusion into family circumstances. The language is inappropriate for a number of children. Questions regarding thieving and drugs are being presented almost as if these activities are normalised. Many parents would be most unhappy that there is any suggestion that their children are in the minority for not even contemplating these things.

“Questions on relationships with parents/guardians are clearly inappropriate and could be used to instigate the named person with interventions at some point in the future.” Cllr. Marshall also stated that he thought it was unfair that elected members of the council were not given the opportunity to be consulted regarding the nature of the survey, and its line of questioning.

The social care unit at North Ayrshire Council agreed to take up the survey after it had been tested in two pilot areas - Perth and Kinross, and Renfrewshire.

The Scottish Government’s Analytical Services Division then carried out an appraisal of the survey and made various amendments, which have since now appeared in the survey which is set to go to children throughout North Ayrshire.

However, Cllr. Marshall still believes what is being presented to local children is far from suitable. although it has received formal backing from the Scottish Information Commissioner and the Children’s Commissioner.

The Conservative has also raised concerns that unless parents decide to opt out of the survey by email, then the onus falls on the children to opt out.

Pupils can stop the survey at any time they wish, or decide to pull out of participating at any time, and local authorities have been taking the questionnaire on board because they fell it will provide crucial information on how to improve children’s futures.

The ‘News’ understands that fully qualified children’s services professionals have been consulted in the questions put forward in the surveys.

A spokeswoman for North Ayrshire Council said: “The ChildrenCount survey is being conducted on behalf of North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership (NACPP) - a group of 12 community partners including North Ayrshire Council, Police Scotland and NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

Letters and leaflets with information for parents and carers are being issued this week to all children in P5 to S4 in North Ayrshire in advance of the survey, to help explain the purpose of the exercise.

Participation in the survey is entirely voluntary and the responses will remain confidential.

Pupils will complete the online survey in their classroom: they can omit any questions they don’t want to answer and can stop taking the survey at any point during the process.

In addition, parents who do not wish their child to take part can arrange for them to opt out by contacting the school.

Council Leader and Chair of the NACPP, Willie Gibson said: “No one at the council or any of the schools will be able to see how the questions are answered.

“What an individual child says in the survey will be combined with what all the other children have said across the area to provide a rich and valuable source of information and help us understand how we can improve services for local children to help them grow up prepared for success, healthy and ready to learn.

“The information will not be used to identify what children have said as individuals or to directly influence what support or services their individual family receives.” Survey participants will be asked about their physical and emotional health, their behaviour, school and community life.