Consultation with young people – planning for face to face Hearings resuming

SCRA is consulting with young people with experience of the Hearings System as part of our preparations to reintroduce face to face Children’s Hearings.

With the easing of lockdown restrictions, we and our partners in the Hearings System are working to resume face to face Hearings across Scotland as quickly and as safely as we can.

Face to face Hearings will only be able to take place again with strict social distancing, as well as other measures in place.

As part of our preparation, we are consulting with young people from Our Hearings, Our Voice and other groups of young people.

Lisa Bennett, SCRA’s Corporate Parenting Lead explained: “It is vital that we only resume face to face Hearings when all the necessary safety measures are in place.

“The wellbeing of children, young people, families, our staff, Panel Members and everyone attending Hearings is paramount.

“We are carefully working through what other requirements or adaptations are required in all of our Hearing centres. As part of our planning, we are taking expert health and safety advice from the NHS, through Health Protection Scotland. They will help us ensure that we have all the required measures and equipment in place.

“We also want to hear from people with experience of Hearings, so we are extremely grateful to all of the young people involved for agreeing to help us with this critical piece of work.”

Consultation will take place over the next few weeks.

More information about the reintroduction of face to face Hearings will be available on our website soon.

In the meantime, virtual Hearings are continuing. If you are participating in a virtual Hearing, your Reporter will send you information in advance. In addition, more information is available here.