Determine which decisions a Chair can make before a Hearing
A Chair could take some procedural decisions without needing to convene a full Panel in advance of a Hearing.
Duty bearers: CHS | SCRA | Scottish Government
Part of: Recommendations
A redesigned Children’s Hearings System must separate:
- procedural decisions relating to the Hearing itself, and
- the decisions made by the Hearing.
A Chair could take some procedural decisions without needing to convene a full Panel in advance of a Hearing. There should be an assessment to understand which decisions these are. This should include:
- carefully examining whether anything needs to change in legislation,
- carefully examining whether anything needs to change in procedural rules.
These changes would be intended to:
- allow for better decision-making, and
- eliminate structural drift and delay in the system.