Compulsory Supervision Orders

Compulsory Supervision Orders are made at Children’s Hearings.

Children’s Hearings take place in Hearings Centres. They usually look something like this:

Specially trained people called Panel Members will make a decision about what’s right for you.

Every Compulsory Supervision Order is different.

A Compulsory Supervision Order can mean you stay at home with your Social Worker coming to visit you.

Or you might need to live away from home, with foster carers or another family member.

Because it’s a legal order, the things in it have to happen.

You’ll be asked to come back to a Hearing within a year of your Compulsory Supervision Order being made.

This is called a Review Hearing.

But if you think your Compulsory Supervision Order needs to be changed, you can ask for a Review Hearing.

You have the right to appeal if you’re not happy with the decision of the Hearing.

A Sheriff at the Court – a judge – will then listen to everyone involved and make a decision.

Your parents and sometimes other people involved in your care also have the right to appeal.

Sometimes Compulsory Supervision Orders last just for a little while; sometimes they can last for a few years.

The longest they can last for is until you turn eighteen.

They can be ended at any time while you’re on one if things get better.

You can contact the Children’s Reporter – their name and contact details will be on the letter which was sent to you about your Hearing.

You can contact an advocacy worker to help support you.

You can also get legal advice and support and bring a lawyer to your Hearing. This is almost always free for children and young people.

You can contact the Scottish Child Law Centre or the Scottish Legal Aid Board for more information.