Minister re-opens new look Children’s Hearings Centre
The Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise Natalie Don-Innes has officially opened the revamped Children’s Hearings Centre in Bell Street, Glasgow.
The Hearings Centre, which is set in the heart of the Merchant City, has been transformed into a modern, welcoming, accessible and trauma-informed space.
The building is the first to implement SCRA’s new Hearing Centre Design Standards which were announced earlier this year.
In 2024, we invited Hearings-experienced young people, partners from across the Children’s Hearings System and our staff to take part in a series of design workshops. The aim of the workshops was to create a new set of design standards for our Hearings Centres across Scotland.
The workshops were facilitated by architects who were appointed following a procurement exercise. They were supported by members of our Hearings Centre improvement project team which consists of colleagues from a range of areas, including property, operations, digital and participation.
The standards are built around eight key principles: Welcoming, Caring. Safe, Trauma-informed, Calming, Non-institutional, Green and Sustainable.
The voice of children and young people with lived experience was at the heart of the development of the new standards. Children and young people from Larkfield Children’s House, Our Hearings, Our Voice and Proud 2 Care Champions Board were all involved in the stakeholder engagement. In addition, staff from SCRA’s own Voice of Experience Reference Group were also consulted with.
The standards link closely with our commitment to Keep The Promise and also ensures future proofing of our estate providing more flexible spaces.
Glasgow Locality Reporter Manager Elizabeth Lloyd Kelly explained what was at the core of the redevelopment: “The new Hearings Centre had to have children’s rights, voice and participation at its centre.
“It was important to look at the experience of children, young people, their families and support network from their first contact with our service and through their whole journey through the Hearings Centre.
“Starting with the welcome at the front doors, through to how they are supported at the end of their Hearings. This was an real opportunity to listen to and to test how physical environment can impact positively upon participation in Children’s Hearings. But in order to ensure that we fully capture the benefits of the new physical environment, we had to consider how we support children, young people and their families through our own understanding of the issues facing them, their needs and ensure that our physical environment is accompanied behaviours which are supporting them to have their voice heard and to be able to participate in their Hearings.”
At the opening event on Wednesday 12 November, the Minister got the chance to hear from staff and meet some of the young people involved in the development of the Hearings Centre Design Standards. She also had the opportunity to tour the building and see the new look reception area, waiting rooms and Hearing rooms.
Speaking at the event, Promise Minister Natalie Don-Innes said: “I’ve been really struck by the hard work and dedication that has gone into this transformation. When you walk through the door, the space is very welcoming, which is so important for children and families going through truly difficult experiences.
“It is clear that voices of children and young people are at the heart of this development – I am enormously grateful to them and the staff for committing their time and support for children both now and in the future. Refurbished centres like this are a huge step forward to our commitment to Keeping The Promise.”
You can see some images of the opening and the new look centre below. You can also see images of the Glasgow Hearings Centre before, during and after the refurbishment. We also want to share a short video clip of Our Hearings, Our Voice Board Member Poppy sharing her thoughts on the new-look centre.
