It is already time for another activity update, this time covering the completed tasks for September 2022.
Hearing Redesign
The Promise Plan 21-24 asked those involved in the operation of the Children’s Hearings System to Rethink Structures, Rethink Processes and Rethink Legislation as part of the transformation of the system. This redesign work has been underway since spring 2022, initially mapping out the current hearing system in the shoes of children, families, tribunal members and reporters. At the same time the Hearings System Working Group published the Issues List, a document outlining the scope of the design work and key questions that when answered would help to build a blueprint for the future state of the hearing system.
With the scope set out in the Issues list from the Hearings System Working Group, work started in the Co-Design project teams in August. The Co-Design Project Teams have an intensive period of work in September and October, undertaking service design work with the aim of producing proposals that will be considered by the Hearings System Working Group and contribute to a blueprint for the future of the Children’s Hearings System.
Participation, Engagement and Consultation Project
As of the end of September the formal consultation on the HSWG’s Issues List has been completed and the Lens will take the early part of October to provide a summary report for the organisation and the panel community to consider. We will publish a link to the summary report here when this has been completed.
It is intended that the results of this consultation will be used not only to inform the HSWG’s recommendations, but also to help us develop plans to improve the delivery and support model for CHS.
Siblings Rights Project
Three virtual upskilling sessions were well attended by the PPA community. Practice examples were discussed as was valuable information on good practice and what PPAs should be looking for in hearings when it comes to the CSA 2020.
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
The UNCRC Project Group is continuing to work on new ways to fully embed rights-based thinking in CHS’s work. Tailored impact assessments are soon to be rolled out for staff, which will help keep compliance with the UNCRC at the core of everything we do. New resources such as the Rights Map continue to be developed so that vulnerabilities can be checked, and future training can be planned.
Trauma-Informed Practice
Over the course of the next six weeks a further 3 NHS Educations for Scotland Trauma Skills Practice training courses will be held. These sessions will primarily be attended by facilitators and Learning and Development Co-ordinators (LDCs). Ensuring our facilitators and LDCs are trauma skilled will ensure that both national and local training sessions are grounded by trauma informed principles. Both the baseline measures and trauma touchpoint groups continue to meet and progress the work of these groups.