Children's Hearings
Children and young people who are thought to be at risk in some way - for instance, if they have been neglected or abused, when they are out of the control of their parents or have been absent from school without a good reason - or who have committed a crime may be may be referred to the children's hearings system. Anyone who feels a child needs help can make a referral. Most referrals come from the police or a social worker but they also come from other sources, including schools and members of the public. The child's case is first looked at by an expert called a children's reporter. If the reporter thinks the child needs some extra help or care, the case will be passed to a children's hearing.
The hearing cannot go ahead unless you have accepted the 'grounds', which are the written reasons for the hearing. If either you or your parents think that the grounds are wrong, the case will be sent to a sheriff for a decision on whether or not it should be dealt with by the hearing.
The hearing is led by a children's panel, which is made up of three ordinary people who have been given special training. It decides what needs to be done in the child's best interests. In order to make a decision, the panel has to discuss reports, find out more about you and your family and discuss with others, such as a social worker, how you can best be helped. Open, informal discussion is encouraged. The panel has a wide range of powers to provide children with help and support. That could be quite informal or involve living away from home, depending on the circumstances of the case.
You can take someone with you to support you at a hearing. This could be a friend or an adult you trust. A solicitor might also agree to go with you. If you don't agree with the decision of the hearing, you can appeal against it. The government may pay for a solicitor to deal with the appeal for you. You have a right to call a review hearing of your case three months after the original decision has been reached.
For more information on the Children's Hearing system and the Scottish Children's Reporters Administration visit the following websites:
www.childrenshearingsscotland.gov.uk
www.scra.gov.uk
