Children’s Hearings Scotland: A day in the life of a Panel Member

Children’s Hearings Scotland (CHS) has just launched a new recruitment drive to find more Panel Members to help make legal decisions with and for infants, children and young people in children’s hearings.

Although around 2,500 amazing people are already part of the CHS community – otherwise known as the Children’s Panel – more volunteers are needed across Scotland.

Interested but nore sure what the role entails? Here, Ailsa Jones, from Fife, talks us through a typical day as a Panel Member. 

I became a Panel Member because I have always wanted to help others. I liked the idea of how volunteers are trying to improve outcomes for those in their local area. I also come from a family of public servants, so helping others is in the genes! 

I joined the panel when I was 20. Even when I was young, I wanted to contribute to and connect with others in our community. Back then I didn't know much about the hearings system, other than a little we learned about it at college. 

I searched online and I thought it looked like it could be interesting. I applied thinking my age could go against me, but the opposite was true. I joined the Children's Panel Team in Fife and 14 years later I am still here! 

I do in-person hearings in the afternoons. The first thing I do when I get papers is to check I do not know the child or their family. I read each case and then, at the weekend, I set aside time to complete pre-hearing notes. I have copies of my prep sheet ready and then find a comfy spot in the house where I can get the most peace with my tablet.

Digital papers are ideal as they ensure we don't have bundles of papers sent out. This helps me to disconnect from the hearings system when I'm finished reading, too. If I can, I will have another look over things before the end of the weekend. 

Once the tablet is off and the notes are stored away, I am back into busy family life with my three-year-old son and husband. I tend to do my hearings on a Wednesday afternoon, so before the hearing I am working full-time and balancing life's routines. I'm at work until lunchtime then it's off to the hearing centre. 

I aim to arrive 30 minutes before the hearing starts. This means I can have some time to catch up with our Panel and we can chat about each case. We talk about the practicalities – who might attend and general issues to consider – and each of us refers to our prep sheet completed at home.

The Children's Reporter comes through to tell us who is present and then we are good to go, so the family and professionals come in. 

Once the hearing is over, we type up the decisions and reasons for each case, which are usually two or three in a session. We then check with the Reporter that everything we've written has been received through the portal. 

If everything is OK, I hand my notes to the reception staff for secure disposal, and head off home for a typical evening – tea time, bathtime, story time, bedtime, and then TV time for my husband and me. Then I do the whole process all over again a few weeks later when I'm back on the rota!

Could you become a volunteer Panel Member? Children’s Hearings Scotland (CHS) is seeking Panel Members across Scotland. Apply by 12pm on Monday, 30 September 2024 via chscotland.gov.uk/volunteer-with-us

To learn more about the hearings system, click here or email chsrecruit@chs.gov.scot