Some key individuals in the Children’s Hearings System have shown their support to Our Hearings, Our Voice campaign to recruit new board members.
Minister for Children and Young People, Clare Haughey recently met the current board members, she said: “Scotland is committed to Keeping the Promise it made to care experienced children and their families. They will be listened to, respected, involved and heard in every decision that affects them. Our Hearings, Our Voice are working to ensure this occurs for every child involved in the Children’s Hearings System and are recruiting young board members. This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to drive forward re-design of the Hearings System.”
Neil Hunter, Principal Reporter from SCRA is a strong advocate of Our Hearings, Our Voice, he said: “Our Hearings, Our Voice is a powerful group of young people with experience of the Children’s Hearings System. They have driven change, promoted improvement and given voice to how to make the experience of attending a Children’s Hearing better, to make sure that rights are respected and that children and young people’s views about their lives are heard, understood and demonstrably considered when Hearings (and others) make decisions. I’ve been hugely impressed by the OHOV 40 Calls for Action – they are a positive platform for change. SCRA and other agencies are working hard to deliver on them. OHOV is looking to strengthen the work that they do even more. It’s a brilliant opportunity for any young person who wants to contribute to positive change in Children’s Hearings to get involved.”
Sheriff David Mackie chairs the Hearings System Working Group. He recently spent a day with current board members. He said: “The Independent Care Review has shown us the expertise among those in our community with care experience and we have learnt to listen carefully to their voice. Kilbrandon envisaged Panels made up of individuals whose most important qualification was that they were of the same community as the children referred to them. It is fitting now that those in our community with that lived experience of care have the opportunity to contribute to the important work of Panels in making the best decisions in the lives of children and young people.”
Children’s Hearings Scotland National Convener/Chief Executive Elliot Jackson added his support to the recruitment campaign, saying: “Our Hearings, Our Voice has a key role in ensuring that the voices of people with lived experience are front and centre of everything we do. Your views are vital. They inform our work, ensure that we are improving experiences for children, young people and their families attending hearings, and influence positive change within the children’s hearings system. This is an opportunity not to be missed!”
Gordon Main, Our Hearings, Our Voice Project Lead said: “We want to thank everyone for supporting our recruitment campaign. It is important we spread the word and ensure as many Hearings-experienced children and young people as possible hear about Our Hearings, Our Voice and hopefully they will be keen to get involved.”
More information is available in the recruitment section of our website.