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FOREWORD
The care of Scotland's children is one of our most important responsibilities. For more than 35 years Scotland has enjoyed a distinctive system of justice and care for children, the Children's Hearings system, which has been visited and studied by politicians, academics and service providers from all over the world. The philosophy of the Children's Hearings system was established in the Kilbrandon Report of 1964 and recognises that children who offend and those who require care and protection are equally deserving to be considered as children in need.
We believe that philosophy remains as true today. It underpins the approach in Getting it right for every child. However, we also recognise that much has changed in the intervening years. Political structures have changed; our expectations and aspirations have grown; and, for many, our society is a better place. Despite this, many children and young people continue to face adversity and to struggle, on a scale previously unknown, with problems associated with disadvantage, neglect and abuse, and with behaviour which is damaging to themselves and to others.
The Scottish Government is clear that the Children's Hearings system remains the best way of providing support and assistance to Scotland's vulnerable children and to their families. We have already taken steps to improve children's services, and placed children and families at the heart of the national outcomes which local authorities are committed to taking forward through their Single Outcome Agreements.
More specifically, however, we believe that the time is now right to reform and strengthen the Children's Hearings system. We will modernise it, where necessary, to ensure it is fit to deliver its vital purpose in the 21 st century and to make its particular contribution to our shared agenda of improving the life chances of children, young people and families at risk.
This paper sets out proposals for action aimed at improving the support provided by the Children's Hearings system, through a more streamlined approach which focuses the efforts of everyone involved on the children themselves, delivers in partnership consistent and effective decision-making throughout Scotland, reduces bureaucracy and drift and, in the longer term, helps deliver effectively to achieve better outcomes for the children who are involved in the Children's Hearings system.
Fiona Hyslop MSP
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning
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