Remit
The Children's Hearings Strategic Project Board, chaired by the Minister for Children and Early Years, was established in December 2008 to help steer the programme of reform of the Children's Hearings system.
The Board - whose membership includes representation from key partners such as CoSLA, SCRA, ADES, AJTC, ADSW, ACPOS, CPCG, CPAG and SACP - meets at key strategic points of the reform programme. The Board provides advice on communication strategies, stakeholder management and practical implementation issues. Its establishment has greatly assisted officials' awareness and understanding of emerging issues of concern and thus enabling them to respond to these.
Working groups
The Board has set up three working groups to aid its communication, engagement and implementation strategies.
These groups' predecessors were five "short-life" working groups: Bill "Virtual", Child at the Centre, Implementation, Organisational Support and Training. The Strategic Project Board asked each group to undertake various tasks.