The children’s hearings system in Scotland is still “slow and inconsistent”, the minister for young people has said in response to a report from the Scottish executive.
There have been improvements in the system, but the annual report on how quickly children are dealt with by the system, has highlighted delays in the youth justice system and gaps in data.
Hearings took over from the courts in the 1970s and have most of the responsibility for dealing with children and young people under 16 who commit offences or are in need of care or protection.
Minister for young people Peter Peacock said that from now on key agencies will be brought together on a quarterly basis to ensure that there is a “continuous emphasis on delivering swift and effective action”.
Police, councils and the Scottish Children’s Reporters Administration (SCRA) all failed to meet some of their targets, and the report said that progress may be too slow to reach new national standards by 2006.
SCRA principal reporter Alan Miller said: “SCRA has confirmed its commitment to work with partners to deliver better outcomes for children and to deliver these outcomes more quickly. The forthcoming review of the children’s hearing system will present an opportunity to identify further new ways of delivering more effective outcomes for children, their families and the communities in which they live.”
Source: Report on Children’s Hearings time intervals 2002-3
Adam Rickwood case review demands youth justice overhaul
04 September 2007
Youth Justice and the Youth Justice Board
26 August 2008
Substance misuse
15 August 2008
Details of government consultations
21 August 2008
Private Member Bills
25 July 2008
Government Legislation
25 July 2008
