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Topic 2 The Referral and the Investigation
Information Sheet 4
Information Sheet 4A
Activity 2
Information Sheet 5
Information Sheet 6
Information Sheet 6A
Activity 3
Activity 3A
TOPIC 2 : THE REFERRAL AND THE
INVESTIGATION
Teachers' sheet
Aims:
To introduce pupils to the reasons ('grounds for
referral') why children/young people are referred to the
Children's Reporter.
To enable pupils to recognise that most referrals
are on care and protection grounds rather than offence
grounds.
To enable pupils to understand the role of the
Children's Reporter in the decision-making process.
To allow pupils to make decisions as a Children's
Reporter.
Materials:
A copy for each pupil of:
Information Sheet 4 or 4A - Reasons Why
Children/Young People Are Referred to the Children's
Reporter
Information Sheet 5 - Children Referred to the
Reporter on Offence Grounds (optional)
Information Sheet 6 or 6A - The Investigation and
Children's Reporter's Decisions
Activity 2 - Reasons Why Children/Young People Are
Referred to the Children's Reporter
Activity 2 - Answers
Activity 3 or 3A - Decision Time for the Children's
Reporter and Scenarios (suitable homework activity)
Method:
Tell the pupils that they are going to look at the
reasons why children/young people can be referred to the
Children's Reporter and how he/she makes his/her decision
about what should happen next. Tell them that the reasons
are called the 'grounds for referral'.
Recap on who can refer a child/young person to the
Children's Reporter.
Hand out Information Sheet 4 or 4A and discuss with
pupils. Are they surprised at the number that are referred
to the Children's Reporter? Do they think it is low or
high?
Explain any of the grounds that you think need
further explanation.
Divide pupils into pairs or small groups and hand out
Activity 2. Ask them to circle the number of referrals that
they think were made for each reason. Using the answer
sheet, check their figures.
Are they surprised at any of the numbers? Ask them to
total the number of referrals for grounds a) - e). This
total will be more than the total number of referrals for
offence grounds. The Children's Hearings system deals with
far more care and protection referrals each year than
offence referrals.
If you would like to discuss offending further
Information Sheet 5 provides more detail about offence
referrals.
Hand out Information Sheet 6 or 6A and discuss what the
Children's Reporter does next. Tell the pupils that the
Children's Reporter must consider all referrals that are
made to him/her, no matter who made the referral. The
Reporter's investigation that may follow could take a
number of weeks. Look at the Reporter's decision options
and ensure that pupils understand these before moving on to
Activity 3.
Hand out copies of Activity 3 or 3A and the scenarios.
Allow sufficient time for pupils to reach their decision
using the process that the Children's Reporter uses.
Discuss their decisions and reasons.
NB: There is no right or wrong
answer. Each case is dealt with on its own merit, and
in assessing risk and need, the Children's Reporter
takes into account the assessments of other
professionals as well as exercising his/her own
professional judgement.
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