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At Your Hearing

Polaroid picture of a teenage girl

Remember - everyone at the Hearing wants to help you and make things better for you.

Who will be there?

You, your parents or carers.

A Children’s Reporter – they organise the Hearing and send you a letter about it. They will come and say hello to you when you arrive. They will be in the Hearing room and they will ensure that your Hearing is fair.

There will be three Panel Members, they are specially trained people, who are there to help.

A social worker will also be there and a teacher from your school might also be there.

You will be asked some questions like....

Do you like where you are staying?

How are you getting on with the people you live with?

How is school?

Do you have any worries or problems?

The Panel Members will ask you these questions to make sure you get the right help.

Having your say

Remember, the Hearing is all about you!

You will have the chance to tell Panel Members how you are and what you would like to happen.

You can also fill out a form which is called 'All About Me'.

It is important the Panel Members hear what you have to say.

Flash Card - young people
In your Hearing you should also be given a 'Flash Card' (have a look at the picture on the left). This is just a card that you can use to help you have your say.

Just hold the card up if you have a question, or if you don't understand something or if you would like to stop and take a break and everyone will listen to you.

 

Polaroid picture of a teenage boy


What might happen?

The Panel Members will listen to everyone at the Hearing and will make the best decision for you. They will tell you what is going to happen and why.

If Panel Members are worried about you, they might make what’s called a Supervision Requirement. This is a legal document which means that the Social Work Department or the Local Authority must be involved in your life and that they are responsible for looking after and helping you.

Most children on a Supervision Requirement stay at home, but if the Panel Members are very worried about your safety, they might decide that you need to stay in another place for a while to keep you safe from danger.

What are my rights?

  • If you are worried, you can bring an adult to the Hearing to help you.
  • You can ask questions at your Hearing.
  • You should tell people at the Hearing if you are not happy with what is happening to you, or if you don’t agree with what is being said.
  • You can appeal against the decision of the Panel within 21 days.
  • You can complain if you are not happy with how you have been treated.

Your rights are protected under law by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which means no one can take your right away from you.

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