Children’s Hearings Redesign: Purpose and Governance 2025 to 2030
The Children's Hearings System is being redesigned to make it more compassionate, rights-focused and collaborative, putting children and families at the centre.
The Children’s Hearings Redesign Board brings together a diverse group of key partners and decision makers to collaborate on how we, as a country, deliver the reform, redesign and transformation of the Children's Hearings System, ensuring it reflects and meets the needs of all those it serves. Guided by the work of the Children’s Hearings System Working Group, the Board plays a vital role in driving forward The Promise by 2030 and improving our care system for all children, young people, families and communities across Scotland.
We will work together to:
- encourage and support the safe, confident and effective operation of the current system
- alongside this, develop and deliver the successor arrangements and full benefits of the redesigned system by 2030
- embed that redesigned system by 2030 to keep the Promise to the care community
- galvanise sector-wide support for the purpose and guiding principles of the redesigned system
- establish a shared understanding of how organisations will work together to deliver the redesigned system
Children's Hearings Redesign Purpose
By 2030, the Children’s Hearings System will become a stronger, more compassionate system that:
- replaces the adversarial processes with a more thoughtful, empathetic and curious approach that understands rather than judges
- consistently puts children and families first, listening to them, respecting their rights, and responding to their individual needs
- more effectively facilitates space for meaningful participation
- ensures all children feel heard, understood and supported throughout, with their voice at the heart of every decision
- reduces stress and complexity, making it easier for children and families to engage, while still protecting their rights and dignity
- creates a better experience for all those involved, including children, young people, families, carers and professionals
- works with clarity and respect, making decisions that are timely, fair and focused on improving the wellbeing of every child
- recognises and supports the people around the child, valuing the roles of professionals, carers and volunteers who help build a safe and nurturing environment
- brings people together, encouraging collaboration and shared understanding so that children do not fall through the gaps of disconnected systems
- empowers everyone involved, giving professionals and volunteers the tools, confidence and support they need to do what is right for each child
Our unique Children’s Hearings System is:
- based on a paramount concern for the welfare of children, ensuring their safety, needs and rights guide every decision
- guided by the voices and experiences of care‑experienced children and young people aligned with the principles of the UNCRC
- built on mutual respect, recognising the value of each individual and the importance of clear roles and responsibilities
- realises and protects children’s rights in practice, promoting a constructive, positive and individually tailored experience
- transparent, fair and lawful, while avoiding the formality and adversarial feel of a court setting
- promotes a culture of learning and collaborative partnership, supporting the ongoing redesign and continuous improvement of the Children’s Hearings System
