Children's hearings redesign - policy proposals: consultation

11. Glossary of Terms

‘Hearings for Children’

• denotes reference to the work of Sheriff Mackie’s independent Hearings System Working Group and the May 2023 final report.

Principal Reporter

• An individual appointed by the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) with the approval of the Scottish Ministers, carrying overall responsibility for children’s reporter’s functions, including decision-making, communication, arranging hearings, notifying outcomes. Used in this consultation with reference to that individual officer.

Children's Reporter

Used throughout the document to mean the Principal Reporter and professionals employed by SCRA carrying out functions delegated to them by the Principal Reporter

National Convener

• The National Convener of Children’s Hearings Scotland (CHS), who is responsible for the recruitment, reappointment, training, oversight and support for members of the national children’s panel, which is made up of specially selected and trained lay volunteers.

children’s hearing

• three children’s panel members make up a children’s hearing, which is a legal decision-making forum which determines whether or not measures of compulsory supervision are required for a child, and if so, what the measures should be.

Grounds/Statement of Grounds

• refers to a document setting out which grounds in section 67 of the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 that the children’s reporter believes apply in respect of a child and the supporting facts. This document is shared with the children’s hearing, which will explore whether the child and their family accept what is in it.

Referral to the children’s reporter

• A ‘referral’ to the children’s reporter is when information about a child is sent to the children’s reporter by someone who is concerned about them. Anyone can make a referral to the children’s reporter, who will then investigate the concerns as necessary and consider whether a children’s hearing needs to be arranged.

Post-referral

• refers to the period of time after an initial referral to the children’s reporter, but before the children’s reporter has taken a decision that a children’s hearing needs to be arranged.

Safeguarder

• a person who is on the national “Safeguarders Panel”, currently managed by Children 1^st. In individual cases, a safeguarder can be appointed by either a children’s hearing or a Sheriff to act independently in the child’s best interests, to safeguard those best interests throughout proceedings and to prepare a report.

Compulsory Supervision Order (CSO)

• A compulsory supervision order is an order made by a children’s hearing or sheriff that requires a child to comply with specified measures and makes the local authority responsible for giving effect to them.