New move to offer children a real voice at hearings

Improved training for panel members and better use of advocacy services for youngsters will address some of the concerns about the Children’s Hearings system, MSPs have been told.

Holyrood’s Education Committee has begun its inquiry into making decisions on whether to take children into care.

Children’s Hearings panels, made up of volunteers, are used to determine the best course of action to take for vulnerable youngsters.

But the committee has heard concerns from various organisations and young people that panels can be unduly swayed by parents and their lawyers.

Bernadette Monaghan, national convener and chief executive of Children’s Hearings Scotland, told the committee yesterday: “In the future we need to have panel members who can chair hearings and be pretty robust, and help lawyers to perform to their best standard within the ethos of the Children’s Hearing system.

“For panel members, the person chairing the hearing will need to keep the focus on the young person.”

Views would be sought from young people using the system, which will be fed back into panel member training, Ms Monaghan said.

Barbara Reid, Children’s Hearings training officer at the Children’s Hearings Training Unit, said young people often do not bring someone to a hearing to support them. “If we could empower children to bring someone to a hearing to advocate for them, to talk for them, I think that would be one of the best things we could actually achieve for children,” she said.

“Parents are very articulate in getting solicitors and other people to come, and children are left in this room with adults all arguing, and there is actually no one supporting the child.

“So, advocacy for children that is universally available for any child who wants it, I think would be a huge step forward in protecting children.” Improved training for panel members and better use of advocacy services for youngsters will address some of the concerns about the Children’s Hearings system, MSPs have been told.

Holyrood’s Education Committee has begun its inquiry into making decisions on whether to take children into care.

Children’s Hearings panels, made up of volunteers, are used to determine the best course of action to take for vulnerable youngsters.

But the committee has heard concerns from various organisations and young people that panels can be unduly swayed by parents and their lawyers.

Bernadette Monaghan, national convener and chief executive of Children’s Hearings Scotland, told the committee yesterday: “In the future we need to have panel members who can chair hearings and be pretty robust, and help lawyers to perform to their best standard within the ethos of the Children’s Hearing system.

“For panel members, the person chairing the hearing will need to keep the focus on the young person.”

Views would be sought from young people using the system, which will be fed back into panel member training, Ms Monaghan said.

Barbara Reid, Children’s Hearings training officer at the Children’s Hearings Training Unit, said young people often do not bring someone to a hearing to support them. “If we could empower children to bring someone to a hearing to advocate for them, to talk for them, I think that would be one of the best things we could actually achieve for children,” she said.

“Parents are very articulate in getting solicitors and other people to come, and children are left in this room with adults all arguing, and there is actually no one supporting the child.

“So, advocacy for children that is universally available for any child who wants it, I think would be a huge step forward in protecting children.”