Children’s Hearings Scotland Impact Report 2021/22

Today, Children’s Hearings Scotland (CHS) has released their annual Impact Report for 2021/2022.  In this Impact Report, we highlight some of the major achievements from the year and how we have delivered on our duty as a Corporate Parent.  Key elements of this year’s Impact Report include:

• Partnering with the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration, Scottish Government and The Promise Scotland to form the Hearings System Working Group, which delivered its Issues List in March,
• Celebrating 50 years of Hearings in April 2021,
• Launching our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy,
• Launching the CHS Promise Programme, which is a cross-organisational project that includes all the work we are doing locally and nationally to improve the hearings experience for children, young people and families,
• Adapting to various significant changes to the laws around children’s hearings, including the Children (Scotland) Act 2020 which ensures brothers, sisters, people with brother/sister-like relationships are given new rights in hearings,

And most importantly, despite the ongoing challenges brought by the pandemic,  the provision of over 21,000 hearings which took place to support and protect nearly 11,000 children in Scotland. 

National Convener and CEO, Elliot Jackson, said:  “The CHS Impact Report shows the work and reflection of the dedication and contribution of our Panel Member and Area Support Team volunteers and CHS National Team staff.  As we progress with our vision for the future of the Children’s Hearings System it has been a privilege to look back and see what we have achieved over the last 12 months and look forward to seeing how we shape the next phase especially our focus on improving the hearings system through the Hearings System Working Group”. 

Over the course of this year, we worked with our volunteers and partner organisations to listen to and help support and protect nearly 11,000 children.   As we go forward, and look towards how we can further improve the Hearings System, we are committed to putting the voice of children and young people at the centre of everything we do, and to working together to make Scotland truly the best place to grow up in.

ENDS

Press Enquiries:

Gemma Conley-Smith, Communications and Engagement Lead

gemma.conley-smith@chs.gov.scot

Anwen Dobson, Campaigns and Digital Media Officer

anwen.dobson@chs.gov.scot

Report

You can find the full report here.

Video

A video to accompany the report will become available later this week so keep your eyes peeled, or you can request a copy. 

About Children’s Hearings Scotland:

• Children’s Hearings Scotland (CHS) is responsible for recruiting, training and supporting around 2,500 skilled volunteer Panel Members who take part in children’s hearings and make important legal decisions with and for infants, children and young people – ensuring they are at the heart of every decision made.
• The organisation also recruits, trains and supports a network of 22 volunteer-led Area Support Teams made up of around 400 volunteers. Area Support Team members provide support and guidance to Panel Members locally.
• Its vision is of a forward looking and evolving children’s hearings system, working as a community to ensure infants, children and young people are cared for, protected and their views are heard, respected and valued.
• Children’s Hearings Scotland is committed to keep The Promise to Scotland’s infants, children and young people. the organisation is part of the Hearings System Working Group, working with the Scottish Government, The Promise Scotland and the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration to redesign the children’s hearings system. It also has its own programme of improvement work, the CHS Promise Programme delivering change at a local and national level.