Hearings System Redesign
Part of: Policy
The Hearings System Working Group (HSWG) existed to bring change to the Children's Hearings System.
The Hearings System Working Group (HSWG) existed to bring change to the Children's Hearings System.
It was a partnership between:
- Children's Hearings Scotland (CHS)
- The Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA)
- The Promise Scotland.
The Scottish Government also played an important role, and Sheriff David Mackie was appointed as the independent chair of the group.
The group worked alongside children, families, care experienced adults, kinship carers, foster carers, birth parents, members of the workforce and many others to create a series of recommendations. These went into its final report – Hearings for Children – in May 2023.
The report highlights the changes required to the child protection, care and support systems which surround children and their families.
These changes were aimed at making sure children and families’ rights would be upheld, and making sure the promise would be kept within the Children’s Hearings System.
Find out more about the group and report in this video:
Hearings for Children: Redesign Report
Hearings For Children: The Redesign Report
The Hearings System Working Group's final report sets out how to redesign the Children's Hearings System so children are put at its centre.
Hearings for Children: Summary overview of recommendations
Summary overview of recommendations in terms of what matters to children and families.
Hearings for Children: Child-friendly summary overview of recommendations
Child-friendly summary overview of recommendations in terms of what matters to children and their families.
What's been happening with the Redesign Report's recommendations?
In December 2023, the Scottish Government accepted a significant majority of the Hearings System Working Group’s final recommendations on delivering a redesigned Hearings System shaped around a model which is rights-respecting, and which is grounded in compassion, kindness, respect and understanding.
Ministers must listen to what children have been saying, and make sure the Children’s Hearings System provides stability, support, continuity and accountability.
Sustainability pressures for recruitment of panel members have only become more acute since Hearings for Children was published. As such, options for remuneration must continue to be considered— and should not be ruled out due to current budgetary pressures.
Ongoing work
Many of the Redesign Report’s recommendations are anticipated to be implemented as part of the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill.
As part of process around creating this Bill, The Scottish Government put out a consultation on the Children’s Hearings System.
Hearings System Working Group podcasts
The following podcasts contain background on the creation of the Redesign Report, and on the Report's conclusions:
Download options: Podcast on Young People and Hearings System Redesign
Download options for this podcast.
Download options: Podcast on Hearings System Working Group conclusions
Download options for this podcast.
Reports and minutes
Child-friendly summary overview of recommendations in terms of what matters to children and their families.
The Hearings System Working Group's final report sets out how to redesign the Children's Hearings System so children are put at its centre.
Summary overview of recommendations in terms of what matters to children and families.
The Hearings System Working Group's final report sets out how to redesign the Children's Hearings System so children are put at its centre.
Download the easy read version of the Hearing System Working Group's Emerging Issues report.
This report shares some of the HSWG’s early thinking, which will form the basis of the recommendations sent to the Scottish Government next year.
The Issues List is a document with 56 questions across 5 categories. It will guide conversations and deliberation around the Children’s Hearings System.
Minutes for the ninth meeting of the Hearings System Working Group.
Minutes for the eighth meeting of the Hearings System Working Group.
Minutes for the seventh meeting of the Hearings System Working Group.
Minutes for the sixth meeting of the Hearings System Working Group.
Minutes for the fifth meeting of the Hearings System Working Group.
Minutes for the fourth meeting of the Hearings System Working Group.
Minutes for the third meeting of the Hearings System Working Group.
Minutes for the second meeting of the Hearings System Working Group.
Minutes for Hearings System Working Group: Meeting One
Minutes | Hearings System Working Group resource
Minutes for the first meeting of the Hearings System Working Group.