Ingram in panel membership drive

A CAMPAIGN has been launched to find 400 volunteers to sit on Children's Panels to help protect vulnerable, troubled or wayward youngsters.

The system, which sees more than 47,000 children a year, is unique to Scotland and 2,500 people already volunteer.

Adam Ingram, Scottish minister for children and early years, said: "Members don't need specialist skills, simply commitment and the capacity to care about , and communicate with, children and families."

Volunteer Stuart Smith, 24, from Renfrew, who appeared before the panel as a youth, said: "When I was growing up, I was a tearaway before I calmed down so I can relate to many children that I meet through the panel."