Hearings for Children report: response

A Timeframe for Redesign

Building on the significant work of the Hearings System Working Group, the process of system redesign has already begun. Plans will be developed in partnership with key statutory organisations and we will move forward with an approach grounded in transparency and inclusion. Importantly, the year ahead will see many opportunities for interested parties to be actively involved in the process of redesign and change.

2024 – 2025 will see:

• the establishment of governance and delivery structures – both internal to the hearings system, and more broadly with reference to children’s services, justice, health, social justice and other strategic improvement programmes and leadership networks
• engagement with, and reporting to, the care community and hearings-experienced young people
• the continuation under the new Children’s Hearings Redesign Board of improvements already planned and the synthesis of the agreed HfC recommendations into an action plan
• a focus on consultation and engagement with a view to policy development across 2024 – generating policy proposals on areas that need new legislation
• a suitable primary legislative vehicle this Parliamentary term, subject to Cabinet and Parliamentary agreement,
• research and testing will be commissioned where appropriate and proposals will be explored, developed and assessed.
• close monitoring on stability and capacity of current system , and assessment as to where further targeted investment in core systems and services could unlock capacity, confidence and more child-centred, trauma-informed ways of learning and working

2026 - 2030 will see:

• the commencement and phased implementation of new primary legislation, including the adopted changes to roles, structures, procedures and responsibilities
• the embedding of system, function and role changes
• training and development across all relevant professions and disciplines to facilitate change and improvement,
• ongoing linkages to major public policy, strategic and environmental efforts that go beyond improvements to the children’s hearings system itself
• evaluation and post-implementation review to assess, measure and demonstrate success.