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Hearing reforms clear first hurdle
16/06/2010
MSPs tonight gave their initial backing to new legislation that will ensure Scotland's most vulnerable children benefit from improved support.
The proposals were endorsed after Children's Minister Adam Ingram outlined the new Children's Hearings (Scotland) Bill during a Stage One Scottish Parliament debate.
Drawn up in response to a national consultation, the Bill will create a strengthened, modernised and streamlined system fit for purpose, now and in the future. It will secure better outcomes for children, young people and their families by improving children's rights and introducing consistent national standards.
Mr Ingram welcomed MSPs support for the Bill's general principles and promised to look at all concerns raised during Stage One and discuss them further as the Bill progresses through Parliament.
Speaking after the debate, the Minister said:
"I am delighted that the Bill has passed its first hurdle through the Scottish Parliament. These reforms are not only necessary, but vital if we are to improve, strengthen and protect our unique children's hearings system.
"It is a system of which we are rightly proud. I continue to be inspired by the work and the commitment of those who work within it, particularly those who do so on a voluntary basis.
"However, I recognise a number of issues and concerns were raised in evidence when the Parliament's education committee looked at the Bill. I am committed to making this Bill the best it can be and will look at the issues raised carefully."
The Bill proposes the creation of a new national body, Children's Hearings Scotland, whose National Convener will be responsible for setting standards for the recruitment, support and training of local panel members, and for monitoring their implementation.
It will also ensure that the key fundamental principles of protecting children's welfare, set out by Lord Kilbrandon when the children's hearings system was first established nearly 40 years ago, remain at its heart.
Subject to the parliamentary process, the Bill's reforms are expected to be up and running in 2012.
Carole Wilkinson, Chair of the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA), said:
"SCRA is committed to ensuring the voices of children and young people in the hearings system are heard, and this is mirrored in the plans of the Scottish Government to reform and strengthen our distinct system through the Children's Hearings (Scotland) Bill.
"It is our belief that the Bill will present Scotland with a once in a lifetime opportunity to reinforce everything that is good in our Children's Hearings System, whilst also tackling those areas where we know we can and must do better.
"We are confident that the Bill will improve delivery of the service and more importantly, bring about improved outcomes for Scotland's vulnerable children and young people."
The Children's Hearings system is Scotland's unique approach to dealing with children and young people in trouble or at risk. The system was created in the 1960s in response to a report from Lord Kilbrandon after it was recognised that young people appearing before the juvenile courts, whether they had committed offences or were in need of care and protection, had common needs. The system is founded on the principle of local people from the children's own communities making decisions about how best to address children's needs.
There are more than 2,500 volunteer panel members who are recruited through an annual national campaign supported by local campaigns. Panel members are carefully selected and undergo extensive and continuous training.
The Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA) was created by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994 to support the work of the Principal Reporter. SCRA currently has a statutory role of facilitating the work of the Principal Reporter and providing accommodation for children's hearings. The work of SCRA is overseen by a board.
In 2008-09, SCRA received more than 90,000 referrals involving 47,718 children. The majority of referrals related to care grounds (e.g. parental neglect).