Children’s Hearing Panel

Children’s hearing panel.

The hearing allows for relevant people to be involved. This will include the child and parent or carer, the reporter, social worker representative and anyone who may have a useful contribution to discussion. There will be three panel members, who will listen to everyone’s contribution and who will deal with the case.

Than is process start the chairperson will explain the reason for the hearing and ask if you accept these. If all or part of the reason are accepted, the hearing will open a full discussion. If a child does not understand the grounds for the hearing the case must be returned to the Sheriff Court for a ruling. If a child or their family does not accept some or all of the grounds for referral, the case can also be remitted to the Sheriff Court for a decision.

The hearing may decide that a supervision order is required to provide help, guidance and support for a child. This could require a child to live away from home for a time, whilst further information is gathered to help the panel come to a decision, or it could require a child to be supervised by a social worker. The hearing can also decide that compulsory supervision is not required and the case will be discharged.

The purpose of the new systém was to create an informal , relaxed setting in which a lay panel, provided with reliabe background information and the time to promote effective communication between all parties, could make an assessment and decide on an appropriate disposal.