Children's Hearings Conference

Following the Scottish Government’s acceptance to a majority of recommendations made by the Hearing System Working Group’s report. They will aim to deliver a redesigned Children Hearings System which focuses on a rights-respecting and non-adversarial inquisitorial model.

Legal Services Agency is delighted to announce their conference which will discuss the recommendations and the anticipated changes of the system. The conference will take place on the 7th of March 2025 and aims to provide delegates with an insight into the impact on the children’s hearings systems in addition to its potential changes from those who worked on the report as well as experts from within this field.

CPD 5.5 hours

PEAT Outcome - Relevant legal knowledge

OBJECTIVES

The conference will examine and discuss the following topics –

• Redesigning Children’s Hearings – The Tribunal Model

• The future of the children’s hearing system – an overview of the many changes and developments that are currently happening
• The Role of Solicitors in Children’s Hearings
• The Role of a Safeguarder
• Lawyers for Children in the Hearing System – Access to Justice and the Child’s Right to be Heard

PARTICIPANTS

This conference is aimed at trainees, solicitors and those practicing in child law advisory work.

SPEAKERS

Katy Nisbet, Head of Legal Policy, Clan Childlaw and Chair of the Conference

Katy joined Clan Childlaw in January 2022. As Legal Policy Manager her job is to influence legal and policy change in Government and across local authority areas. She does this with the aim of improving the rights of children and young people in Scotland.

Before coming to work at Clan Childlaw, Katy was a court lawyer working on behalf of public bodies across Scotland. When not at work Katy enjoys running her Brownie group, pilates and watching movies with her family.

Nick Rougvie, Youth Justice and Children’s Hearings Unit, Scottish Government

Nick Rougvie is Team Leader for children’s hearings in the Scottish Government with responsibility for policy, legislation and sponsorship of the two public bodies which administer the hearings system. Prior to working in government, Nick worked in the media and in communications and is a former member of the children’s panel. His current focus is working with colleagues on the children’s hearings redesign process following the Independent Care Review and the Hearings System Working Group recommendations for change.

Alistair Hogg, Head of Policy and Practice, Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration

Alistair is the Head of Practice and Policy at SCRA. He has been a Children’s Reporter for over 23 years, and has held various posts within SCRA. Prior to SCRA Alistair was a lawyer in private practice, mainly specialising in criminal defence work.

Alistair is involved in many different policy areas. He was a member of the Hearing System Working Group which produced the Hearings for Children report. He is a member of the Age of Criminal Responsibility Review Group, the Youth Justice Improvement Board, the Children’s Hearings Improvement Partnership, the Bairnshoose Strategy and Implementation Group, and many other forums.

Kirsty Nelson, Practice & Policy Advisor, Jen Downie, Feedback & Complaint’s Officer, Children’s Hearings Scotland

Kirsty Nelson is a Practice & Policy Advisor at Children’s Hearings Scotland (CHS). Kirsty qualified as a solicitor in 2020 and joined CHS in April 2023. Kirsty advises CHS’s staff, Senior Leadership Team and Panel Members on upcoming legislative changes affecting the hearings system, legal interpretation issues and practice queries. Over the past year, Kirsty’s work has focused on the upcoming changes to the hearings system that will arise from the implementation of the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act.

Jen Downie is a Feedback & Complaints Officer at Children’s Hearings Scotland (CHS) and primarily handles complaints about the conduct of Panel Members within Children’s Hearings. She joined CHS in 2023 having previously run her own business in the creative industries. Prior to that, Jen was qualified solicitor specialising in litigation and family law and was a CHS Panel Member in Fife from 2021 to 2023.

Lisa Taylor, Scottish Safeguarders Association

Lisa Taylor is a Safeguarder working in Stirling, Falkirk, Clacks and North Lanarkshire. Lisa has been a Safeguarder for 10 years and is on the working group of the Scottish Safeguarders Association. She is also a Child Welfare Reporter for Stirling Sheriff Court.

Lisa qualified as a solicitor in 1991 and practised in Glasgow for a few years before moving on to a new career as an Officer in the British Army. After leaving the army, Lisa spent 10 years setting up and running Trailblazers, a resettlement service in Feltham and Aylesbury Young Offender Institutions in England.

Lisa enjoys the independent role of a Safeguarder where she can combine her legal expertise, knowledge of working with young people in the criminal justice system and her own parenting experiences. She is passionate about trying to support good decision making within the Children’s Hearing System to minimise the impact of adverse childhood experiences. When not at work Lisa enjoys wild swimming and meditation to relax.

PROGRAMME

9.30-.10.00 Registration and refreshments

10.00-10.15 Introduction from Chair - Katy Nisbet, Head of Legal Policy, Clan Childlaw

10.15-11.00 Nick Rougvie, Team Leader, Children’s Hearings, Scottish Government – Redesigning Children’s Hearings – The Tribunal Model

11.00-11.15 Tea/Coffee

11.15-12.00 Alistair Hogg, Head of Policy and Practice, Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration – The future of the children’s hearing system – an overview of the many changes and developments that are currently happening

12.00-12.45 Kirsty Nelson and Jen Downie, Practice & Policy Advisor and Feedback & Complaints Officer, Children’s Hearings Scotland - The Role of Solicitors in Children’s Hearings

12.45-1.30 Lunch (provided)

1.30-2.15 Lisa Taylor, Scottish Safeguarding Association Working Group – The Role of a Safeguarder

2.15-3.00 Katy Nisbet, Head of Legal Policy, Clan Childlaw, Chair of the Conference – Lawyers for Children in the Hearing System – Access to Justice and the Child’s Right to be Heard

3.00-3.30 Q&A and closing remarks

Host or Publisher Legal Services Agency Ltd