Children’s hearing referrals hit record high

The number of young people in Scotland referred to the
children’s hearing system has risen to the highest level since it
was set up more than 30 years ago, writes Nicola
Barry.

A report from the Scottish Children’s Reporter
Administration (SCRA) shows a sharp rise in the number of
cases involving neglect, domestic violence and parental drug
abuse.

Almost 40,000 youngsters were referred to the Scottish
children’s hearing system in 2001-02, a rise of 10 per cent on the
previous year, and the highest number since the system was
established in 1971.

SCRA principal reporter Alan Miller said: “The increasing number
of one-off offenders reflects wider social trends, and in
particular the growing involvement of girls in offending.

“But the reduction in repeat offenders signals the growing
effectiveness of the way we are addressing this problem.”

The report also expresses concern over the length of time taken
to deal with neglect cases, currently an average of 168 days.