Children’s Hearings Scotland has recently completed a phased transition to a new Area Support Team structure and centralised approach to the allocation of Panel Members to hearings. 

Nine regional Area Support Teams are now in place, matching the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) localities, to provide alignment with CHS’s key hearings system partner.

Each region has a dedicated Tribunal Delivery Manager, Partnership Coordinator and Wellbeing Coordinator. They work alongside local teams of volunteer Panel Engagement Leads, Lead Panel Practice Advisors (Lead PPAs) and Learning Champions to support our 2,400 Panel Members and PPAs across Scotland.

New rota management

A new, consistent, approach to meeting our statutory duty to ensure Panel Members can make decisions with and for children and young people in hearings across Scotland is also in place, with 34 hearings rotas now being managed through a highly experienced central Resource Allocation Team.

Sustainable, consistent support

"My thanks go to our Area Conveners, Rota Managers and Area Support Team volunteers across Scotland for their dedicated service to children and families across Scotland and their support and engagement as we have moved to this new model. 

"These important changes enable sustainable, consistent support for our Panel Community and a platform that will support CHS and our Community to #KeepThePromise and deliver the requirements of the Hearings for Children reforms for the children and families we serve."

– Lynne Harrison, Director of Tribunal Delivery