(b) Training
Appointment by the First Minister is subject to new members undertaking a preliminary training course. The pre-service training, from January to April, requires attendance at seven training days held in a central location and up to five evening meetings held in local panel areas. Following satisfactory completion of this course, newly appointed members start serving on Hearings and return for a further period of training in the Autumn, which involves three to four local evenings and possibly a residential weekend.
Serving panel members are expected to attend in-service training, which is offered locally and centrally (Glasgow). Most training takes place in local Hearing rooms and in small groups led by panel members’ tutors. The training is not academic but is specially designed to help members develop the knowledge and skills necessary for the task of making decisions at hearings in the best interests of children. Meetings of the whole panel are held regularly. Members are expected to attend these and to benefit from the exchange of views and experience. Members failing to attend a certain amount of training are unlikely to be re-appointed.
Absence from Employment
Legislation allows panel members time off to be granted by their employers while attending Hearings. Generally, such time is to be of a reasonable duration and of a reasonable frequency. Employers are not required to grant time off with pay. What is “reasonable” is determined by the employer. A Scottish Office fact sheet designed for employers is available upon request.
Expenses to Members
It is recognised that many panel members undertake a certain sacrifice in giving up their time on panel duty. While payments of expenses cannot be considered as adequate recompense, provision is made for payment of certain expenses to members. Schedule 1 to the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 indicates that the local authority may pay expenses of children’s panel members. These are mainly in connection with attendance at a hearings centre to conduct a children’s hearing and involve travelling expenses, and occasionally financial loss allowance or subsistence. They also cover the attendance at meetings of the children’s panel and national meetings of office bearers. The expenses incurred in attending training sessions and the national school for children’s panel members also fall to be reimbursed by the local authority.
Every effort is made to settle expenses within a short period of the claim form being received. Expenses should be submitted at least quarterly.
Location and Times of Children's Hearings Children's Panel
Criminal Convictions
Before making any recommendation to the First Minister, the CPAC have to be satisfied that an applicant has not been convicted of an offence of a nature which might make him or her unsuitable to act as a panel member. Applicants will therefore be required to disclose any such information. As a matter of course the names of all applicants will be passed to Disclosure Scotland for details of any previous criminal convictions. It is unlikely that a previous conviction, except a very recent one, would in itself disqualify an applicant unless for one of the more serious criminal offences.
The First Minister’s letter of appointment will also require a panel member to notify him of any future conviction which might disqualify him/her from further service as a panel member.
Please note the CPAC will also need to be informed about close family members who have been convicted of a crime or are facing criminal charges to determine whether or not the information is relevant to your application.
