Resumption or Commencement of Children’s Panel Hearings: FOI release

Information requested

"Details of all correspondence (emails, typed or handwritten notes, letters, phone calls, documents or otherwise) between Scottish Ministers, including the First Minister, and the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration in the calendar year 2020, regarding the resumption or commencement of children’s panel hearings by the latter organisation in light of the Covid-19 pandemic”.

Response

I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested.
An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA, relating to personal information, applies to some of the information you have requested. This information has therefore been redacted. I would highlight that in document 3 we have redacted the guest passcode for conference calls, we cannot make this public.

I wanted to take the opportunity to highlight further publicly available material which may be helpful.

Firstly the report to Scottish Parliament on the implementation of the Coronavirus emergency legislation https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781839608179 and supporting statistical data
https://www.chip-partnership.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Coronovirus-Scotland-Act-2020-Reporting-Requirements-Childrens-Provisions-Data-Report.pdf which shows that virtual hearings have continued throughout the pandemic whilst on a lesser basis based on vulnerability and need.

Secondly on 21st May 2020 SCRA published an update on plans to return to face to face hearings https://www.scra.gov.uk/2020/05/route-map-out-of-the-coronavirus-pandemic/ and on 22nd May CHS published an update on their plans http://www.chscotland.gov.uk/recent-news/2020/05/how-childrenshearings-will-adapt-to-coronavirus-lockdown-easing/.

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FOI-202000046979 Information released

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12 page PDF

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