‘I’m proud of Panel Members and I’m sure Scotland is too’ National Convener tells Covid-19 inquiry
Elliot Jackson, National Convener of Children’s Hearings Scotland, and volunteers serving in the hearings system have given compelling evidence at the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry.
Mr Jackson expressed his pride in the way 2,500 Panel Members put the interests of children first as they adapted to the sudden upheaval caused by the Covid pandemic in early 2020.
‘I would describe their role and contribution as quite remarkable in the time of Covid,’ he said, recalling the challenges many volunteers faced during lockdown around family life and home schooling. ‘They prioritised children’s hearings and the protection of children.’
‘I’m certainly proud of them and I’m sure Scotland is as well.’
The inquiry, taking place in Edinburgh until June, is investigating the public-sector response to the pandemic between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2022, to identify lessons learned and make recommendations to the Scottish Government. It dedicated its eighth day to the impact of Covid on the hearings system.
Volunteers’ testimony
After Mr Jackson’s testimony in the morning session, the Inquiry Chair, Lord Brailsford, heard from three members of the Panel Community in the afternoon session: Jack King, Lead Panel Representative in Edinburgh during the pandemic, who also deputised as Area Convener; Sarah Young, a Lead Panel Representative in West Lothian and later Area Convener for Central and West Lothian; and Susan Christie who was a member of the Area Support Team in Edinburgh. All three described the drastic impact of lockdown and the rapid transition to online hearings.
Jack King, Sarah Young and Susan Christie at the inquiry
‘Tremendous cooperation’
Mr King painted a vivid picture of running a hearings rota while people were regularly falling ill with Covid.
‘People were falling down with the virus and we had to change Panels at very short notice,’ he said, adding that rota managers were on call seven days a week. He said he might receive a call at 8am or 8.30am on a Monday, saying a volunteer had become ill, but a Panel had to go ahead at 9am that day.
‘We had tremendous cooperation from Panel Members, who would step into a Panel at very short notice, getting a briefing from the other two Panel Members and able to make good, sound decisions.
‘It was a tough time, but every hearing was covered and every hearing went ahead.’
Mrs Young echoed the spirit of mutual support and readiness to adapt to the new reality. Recalling the initial switch to online hearings, she said: ‘When I asked if they were able to do it, all 90 Panel Members said yes I want to do this, it is important.
‘Heartbreaking’ situations
Ms Christie recalled the ‘heartbreaking’ situations created by lockdown.
‘Perhaps your child was on the edge of being returned to you but that process couldn’t be followed through because of the pandemic, and then you were not allowed to see your child at all or for just 10 minutes in the park.
‘It could be very difficult at times. You always want to leave a family in a better place than you find them, and that was sometimes impossible.’
At the end of the inquiry session, Lord Brailsford said: ‘Thank you very much indeed for your evidence today. You’re unusual in that you’re a cohort of volunteers; that is to be commended and is noted.’
He added that his legal career meant he had long been familiar with the Children’s Panel, ‘and I have no hesitation in saying they do a very, very good job and ought to be praised for it’.
As part of the Covid inquiry process, 11 additional members of the Panel Community contributed to a roundtable meeting in January, producing a report that feeds into the inquiry findings.
The Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry is Scotland’s largest-ever public inquiry.
‘I believe that history will reflect well on how CHS responded to protecting children and young people during Covid. Our collective witness testimony together with Lord Brailsford’s comments around commending and noting the efforts of volunteers as part of the inquiry secures that legacy.’
– Elliot Jackson following the Covid-19 Inquiry hearing
