This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Report on Children's Hearing System
09/12/2002
Voluntary panel members in the Children's Hearings
system are "caring and skilled", an independent report has
found.
The findings of the Scottish Committee of the Council on
Tribunals (SCOCOT) special report identified panel members'
skills and attitudes, and the training offered to them, as
key strengths of the system.
It was also supportive of monitoring panel member's
performance in hearings.
Young People Minister Cathy Jamieson said:
"This report is a welcome tribute to the hard work and
commitment of our unpaid panel members and I thank them all
for their dedication to improving the lives of some of
Scotland's most vulnerable young people.
"Young people who come before a hearing often have
complex and troubled lives. They may be in need of care and
protection or may have committed an offence and need to
face up to the consequences of their actions. Panel members
often have to make some difficult decisions; the work is
challenging, but has high personal rewards.
"We know that there is room for improvement throughout
the youth justice system and the report recommends areas
for improvement, including recruiting more panel members.
This is vital if we are to secure the continued success of
the Children's Hearings system and that is why our annual
recruitment campaign ran for an additional week in 2002 -
achieving 3000 more responses than the 2001 campaign.
"We accept all the recommendations and are already
working with the Scottish Children's Reporter Association
(SCRA) to address the issues raised. We are also taking
steps to improve the effectiveness of the system and to
implement the recommendations of the Audit Scotland report
on youth justice.
"These measures along with the continued hard work of
panel members, will ensure we continue to make real
differences to the lives of our most vulnerable young
people."
SCOCOT is an independent advisory body whose functions
include reviewing the constitution and working of tribunals
and reporting on them.
The special report covered:
- The way the Children's Hearings system
operates
- Venues used
- Training provided to panel members
- Effectiveness of the system
- Legal aid and representation
Children's Panels deal with disadvantaged and troubled
children who may have committed an offence or may be in
need of care and protection.
The children's hearings system is unique to Scotland
because it focuses on individual children's needs and
circumstances and addresses why there are at risk or
offending. It relies on the work and commitment of many
unpaid volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds and
experience.
The Scottish Children's Reporter Association (SCRA) is
an Executive non-departmental public body.
Its regional network of Reporters receive referrals from
agencies, primarily social workers and police, and consider
whether children may need compulsory measures of care via a
Children's Hearing, or if other actions are more
suitable.