BBC Alba programme on the work of the Children’s Panel

Each year thousands of families are helped by the Children’s Hearing System, Scotland’s unique care and justice system for children and young people who are in trouble or at risk.  At its core is the work of the Children’s Panel.
A new BBC ALBA documentary, ‘Trusadh:  Èist ris a’ Chloinn / The Children’s Panel’, will take a closer look at the work of the Children’s Panel, hear from its members and find out what challenges they face in Scotland today.

Out with Scotland many people involved in social work are envious of the system as Peter MacLeod, Head of Social Work at Renfrewshire Council explains: “I’ve spoken to other people involved in social work in Europe who ask about the Children’s Panel in Scotland and its effectiveness for children and their families. They tell me that they’d like something like the Children’s Panel in their country.”

Roddy MacLeod in Aberdeen finds the work as a panel member hugely rewarding: “You hope that you’re helping someone, somewhere. You’re happy to be doing something for somebody else, especially the children.”

Christine Stone is also a panel member, based in Caithness, and wanted to give something back to the community she lived in: “People think that Caithness is a small, beautiful place with no problems but that’s not the case. Caithness is like anywhere else. There are the same problems, difficulties, poverty and conflict between young and old.”

Taxi driver Hugh McNaughtan is the Authority chair of the Glasgow Children’s Panel which has 600 members. For Hugh, meeting people through his work encouraged him to find out more about the system: “You’re actually picking up the people and I think that’s probably one of the reasons that I got involved in the hearing system because of things that I saw and heard in the taxi.”

There are currently over 16,000 children in care in Scotland. Many are looked after through foster care, as well as through children’s homes and other units run by the local authorities.

One such successful care project in Scotland is the Kibble Education and Care Centre in Paisley. ‘Please Listen’ is a play which is the result of the centre’s unique drama course where the children drew on the many challenges they’ve had in their lives to express their feelings.

This BBC ALBA documentary will provide viewers with an understanding of a system where Scotland has led the way for a number of years, with a vision of everyone working together to make sure that all children are heard, valued, respected and cared for.

Trusadh: Èist ris a’ Chloinn / The Children’s Panel has been produced for BBC ALBA by MacTV and will be transmitted on Monday 11 November at 9.00pm.