At Your Hearing

Remember – everyone at the Hearing wants to help you and make things better for you. They are there for you.

Who will be there?

• You, your parents or carers.
• A Children’s Reporter – they organise the Hearing and send you a letter about it. They will come and say hello to you when you arrive. They will be in the Hearing room and they will ensure that your Hearing is fair.
• There will be three Panel Members, they are specially trained people, who are there to help.
• A social worker will there and a teacher from your school might attend.
• A Safeguarder might also be there. More information about a Safeguarder is available in this short film.

More detail about people at your Hearing is available on our website.

You will be asked some questions like …

• Do you like where you are staying?
• How are you getting on with the people you live with?
• How is school?
• Do you have any worries or problems?

Having your say

Remember, the Hearing is all about you! You will have the chance to tell Panel Members how you are and what you would like to happen.

You can also fill out a form online which is called ‘Hearing About Me’ or you can even submit your views in writing.

It is very important that the Panel Members know how are you feeling and what you think about some of the options that are being discussed. If you don’t understand anything, please ask.

What might happen?

The Panel Members will listen to everyone at the Hearing and will make the best decision for you. They will tell you what is going to happen and why.

If Panel Members are worried about you, they might make what’s called a Compulsory Supervision Order. This is a legal document which means that the Social Work Department or the Local Authority must be involved in your life and that they are responsible for looking after and helping you.

Most children on a Compulsory Supervision Order stay at home, but if the Panel Members are very worried about your safety, they might decide that you need to stay in another place for a while to keep you safe.

What are my rights?

• If you are worried, you can bring an adult to the Hearing to help you (like a person you trust,  a lawyer, an advocate or a Children’s Rights Officer).
• You can ask questions at your Hearing.
• You should tell people at the Hearing if there is something you want to say – your views are very important to them and will help them make a decision that is best for you.
• The Panel Members will explain their decision to you, but if there is anything you are not sure about, it is important that you ask, so they can help you understand.
• You can appeal against the decision of the Hearing within 21 days.
• You can complain if you are not happy with how you have been treated.

Travel Expenses

If you have to travel to your Children’s Hearing, you have the right to claim back travel expenses. Please ask at reception on arrival at your Hearing, or you can ask your Reporter or social worker.