Scottish Child Law Centre
Presents aMasterclass
Child-Centred Legal Practice in The Children’s Hearing System
21st June 2017 13:00 – 16:30 (3 hrs verifiable CPD)
MacKenzie Building, Old Assembly Close, 172 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1QX
Chair and Keynote speaker - Bruce Adamson, Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland
Additional Speakers
Colm Clark & Louise Lowrie: Children and Families, North West Health
& Social Care Partnership
Solicitors in hearings – reflections from the social work perspective
Lucy Millard: Millard Law
Representing adults at Children’s Hearings, potential conflicts of interest
This event is supported by the Scottish Legal Aid Board. Attendance at this event counts as relevant training for the purposes of registration on the Children’s Legal Assistance Register, and in particular towards Competence Three (understanding of the ethos of the children’s hearings system)
Presentation, Q&A and Expert Discussion will seek to:
- Explore the issues and concerns raised in the research and at the Committee in a multi-agency context
- Provide an opportunity for all professionals to learn more about each other’s roles and reflect on their own practice
- Identify the value that solicitors can bring to a children’s hearing
- Consider how solicitors and other professionals can keep the child at the centre of proceedings
- Begin a discussion about further good practice principles for solicitors in the hearings system and ways in which the existing code of practice might be strengthened
Background to the Masterclass
The increased involvement of solicitors in children’s hearings has been controversial, with some suggestions that it leads to a more adversarial system, moving away from the welfare-based model set out by Kilbrandon.
In 2016, research conducted by the Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children (CELCIS) on behalf of the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) found that while the involvement of a minority of solicitors in hearings could present challenges, most solicitors attending children’s hearings acted in ways that were constructive and valuable.
However, evidence received by the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Skills Committee in March 2017 suggested that there are still some who have concerns about the involvement of solicitors in the hearings system, and in particular that it may be contributing to the child becoming less central to proceedings.
The Scottish Child Law Centre is firmly of the belief that solicitors have a vital part to play in children’s hearings. There is no irreconcilable conflict between robustly and effectively representing an adult client, and keeping the child and their best interests at the centre of proceedings. We believe that the vast majority of solicitors are committed to continuous improvement of their practice and to helping to ensure that the voice of the child continues to be heard loudly and clearly.
As a qualified solicitor and former children’s panel member, Bruce Adamson is ideally placed to facilitate this discussion in his new role as Commissioner for Children and Young People.
Child-centred Practice in the Children’s Hearings System Masterclass Booking Form
21st June 2017
MacKenzie Building, Old Assembly Close, 172 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1Q
Start 13:30 Finish 16:30
(Registration from 13:00 to 13.30)
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If more than one person is attending from your organisation please complete a separate booking form for each person
Masterclass booking rates
Student / Unwaged £50
Registered Charity£80
Other organisations / individuals£100
SCLC Member discount -10% on all rates Member No. ______
Please complete and return this booking form to or post to 54 East Crosscauseway, Edinburgh, EH8 9HD. An invoice will be sent to you with your booking confirmation. For further information email or tel. 0131 668 4400.
Scottish Child Law Centre, 54 East Crosscauseway, Edinburgh EH8 9HD
Admin line: 0131 668 4400 Advice line: 0131 667 6333