The Children’s Hearing System. In Scotland, children (mostly under 16) are only considered for prosecution in court for serious offences. In other cases, children are referred to the ‘The Reporter’ who can decide to refer the child to the Childrens Hearing System (The children’s panel). The Childrens Hearing System has many different roles and powers, that they take responsibility for her.
So if you want to find out the roles, and powers of the children’s hearing system, just keep reading! This can help with a school project, if your thinking about reaching out or even just for research!
ROLES OF THE CHILDREN’S HEARING SYSTEM
One role of the children’s hearing system is to investigate referrals. Someone may put a referral in for a child that they are concerned about, or a child’s surroundings, actions or crowd. It is the CHS responsibility to investigate this referral and see if it should be looked into further.
There are many reasons why a child would be referred to a reporter;
- Out of parental control.
- Falling into bad company or moral danger
- Has been the victim of abuse.
- Fails to attend school regularly without a reasonable excuse.
- Has committed an offence.
- Is involved with drugs and alcohol.
Referrals are often submitted from people like, the Police, social work, or even a teacher from a Childs school.
The next role of the CHS is to organise a panel. After investigating a referral, the childrens hearing system next decide if matters should be took further and a panel for the child should be set up. At the panel, they decide what the next best move is to support the child. Panels are usually held in a comfortable environment where the child feels safe, and usually teachers, social work, the child and the child’s family.
A final role of the childrens hearing system is to support the child that has been referred in their best interest. This means it is not the job of the children’s panel to decide if a young person is guilty or not guilty of committing a crime. They try not to punish the child, but more support it into making the right decisions. The setting supports a young person because it is usually informal. For example, the meetings do not take place in a court but in a school or community centre to make it a more supportive environment.
POWERS OF THE CHILDRENS HEARING SYSTEM
There are many powers assigned to the Children’s Hearing System. One power of the CHS is to have a child supervised in their own home. You know how when an ill, or vulnerable, or weak, older person often has a carer in to check on them? Well, this is sort of like that. The child has weekly visits from an adult to make sure they are behaving or they are okay, but the child is still allowed to live with a parent or carer.
Another power of the childrens hearing system is to remove the child from the home. This is one
form of a Compulsory Supervision Order but means that a child will be removed from their home to live in a Children’s home, Foster home or a residential school for their protection and welfare. This usually happens if a child is unsafe in their house, and the CHS feel they need to be removed urgently.
A final power of the children’s hearing system is issue a warrant to secure attendance. This is when the panel and reporter have to issue a warrant because a child may not have attended a hearing or it is believed that they may be in immediate danger. For example, if a child or young person didn’t attend a warrant would allow the police to seek them out and take them into custody.
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