Children's panel overhaul

AN OVERHAUL of the children's panel system won the backing of MSPs yesterday.

The Children's Hearings Bill proposes to replace local panels with a single national body.

Holyrood's education committee backed the bill, but its members raised concerns about the role and powers of the new head of the proposed body.

Committee convener Karen Whitefield said: "The committee's main concern is to ensure that in the future the strengths of the children's hearing system are bolstered and that decisions continue to be made in the best interests of the child."