Petitioner: James Mackie
Status:
Closed
Date Lodged:
23 October 2017
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to urgently change the requirement that all children from birth to 18 years of age have to attend Children's Hearings, unless the Panel agrees to excuse them.
Summary:
23 November 2017: The Committee agreed to join the petitions PE1673 and PE1675 together for future consideration and to write to the Scottish Government. Link to Official Report 23 November 2017
10 May 2018: In relation to PE1673, the Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Children’s Reporters Administration, the Association of Directors of Social Work, Who Cares? Scotland and Circle Scotland. The Committee also agreed to close PE1675 under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders on the basis that the Scottish Government has set out its view of the importance of a child or young person having a right to take part in decisions affecting them; that there are procedures in place to allow the excusal of a child or young person; and that the Government remains open to reviewing whether the current balance and tests are right for children and young people with work being taken forward by the Children’s Hearings Improvement Partnership. Link to Official Report 10 May 2018
Written submissions:
Do you agree that vulnerable children should be forced to attend Children's Hearings when they are aged from birth to 10 or 12 years of age or have a learning disability/difficulty?
Do you believe attendance at Children's Hearings at this age can cause future mental health and behavioural problems for the child?
Do you believe it is correct and in the best interests of the child that parents involved in domestic abuse and no longer living with the family should have the right to appear at Children's Hearings?
Is the current practice of forcing children of all ages to attend Children's Hearings psychologically harmful to them in the long term?