Our Stories: Aim 3 – Protect
Our Practice
In 2025/26, the Practice Team provided the full range of practice activities to support reporters in their day to day work. This included giving support and advice to localities throughout the year, developing practice materials, delivering practice training, managing cases in the higher courts, and working with partner agencies at a national level.
Practice Materials
Practice materials produced during the year included 3 new practice notes on:
- The child’s view on what decision the reporter
- should make – discussions, meetings and
- communications
- Name and pronoun use in proceedings and
- documentation (produced with our Inclusion
- and Diversity Manager)
- A summary of the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024.
- In addition, 4 revised practice notes were published on:
- Offence grounds, the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and disclosures
- The UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024
- Signed witness statements
- The criminal exploitation of children.
Practice Notes provide practical support to reporters in relation to aspects of their work, for example in explaining the law on a topic or providing style wording to be used in a document.
In addition, the team published revisions of 12 practice directions, with significant revisions having been to the directions on attendance at hearings and non-disclosure.
The revision of the practice direction on nondisclosure was part of a wider piece of work providing practice input to the non-disclosure project. This included working closely with the Operational Development team to ensure that changes to processes remained compliant with our practice direction and the legislation.
Training and Inputs
The team also produced refresher training materials on practice aspects of non-disclosure and supported the delivery of that training in localities.
Providing practice input to a range of projects has been an increasing feature of the Practice Team’s work. Major pieces of work in 2025/26 included input to the Learning Leads, Early Engagement on Grounds Hearings and Family Centred Scheduling project.
We delivered the full schedule of core practice training and more specialised training through the year. This involved the delivery of 68 full days of training, all of it delivered – in person. The Practice Team also supported locality-led training and practice sessions on request.
Court Work
Nine cases in the higher courts concluded during the year. One significant issue raised in a case related to the impact of the UNCRC rights of a child in a children’s hearing being held for their brother or sister.
Of those that concluded, one was initiated by us with the Sherif Appeal Court allowing our appeal. Of the other 8, 4 appeals were refused after a full hearing, one was allowed after we did not oppose it, and 2 were not proceeded with by the appellants. There was one judicial review – the case relating to the UNCRC rights.
Law reports and case digest were published to support reporter awareness and knowledge of developments in the case law, including cases involving the Principal Reporter and relevant cases in external proceedings.
Working in Partnership
We continued to be engaged in improvement work at a national level with partner agencies, including Police Scotland, the Scottish Government, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Children’s Hearings Scotland and social work services. This work involved a wide range of subject matter: the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024, jointly reported cases, joint investigative interviewing, and restorative justice. We regularly delivered national external training to the police and joint investigative interviewers.
Our Research
Our Research Team published a number of reports during 2025/2026, including:
Children who cause serious harm
In November 2025, the research team published a study focussed upon understanding how the needs of children aged 12-15 who cause serious harms are met through the Children’s Hearings System. This research was commissioned by the Scottish Government as part of a statutory review of the Age of Criminal Responsibility Act, with the fndings presented to the Age of Criminal Responsibility Review group to support decision-making around further increase to the age of criminal responsibility. Learning from the research was also disseminated via an online webinar hosted by CYCJ and through presentations to child protection committees.
Exploring Artificial Intelligence
In February 2026, the Research Team published
‘A Double-edged Sword’ Potential Uses of AI in the Children’s Hearing System. An illustrated version of the research fndings was also published to allow easy dissemination of key messages to children, practitioners and policy makers. The research, based upon the views of 123 professionals, 19 parents and 21 young people, explores the acceptability of using AI within the children’s hearings system, the risks that this might pose, and the protections that participants would like to see adopted when AI is being used. Following publication of the research, the team have worked with SAIDOT, an ethical AI company, to map the concerns raised by participants against existing legislative frameworks and the UNCRC. This work will underpin the development of ethical principles for the use of AI within the Children’s Hearings System. Findings from the research have also been shared with practitioners at the Social Work Scotland conference, and the team will continue to work with colleagues across SCRA and the Scottish Government to ensure that learning from the report is disseminated across the care, justice and education sectors.
Sharing Learning
Throughout the last year, we have actively sought out opportunities to share learning from other research conducted at SCRA with practitioners and policy makers. Research published in 2024 on the care trajectories of younger children in residential care was republished in an edited book aimed at helping practitioners to understand current trends in the use of residential care. Findings from the study were also shared with social work commissioning ofcers at the Transforming the Commissioning of Therapeutic Support for Children in Care conference held in England. Findings from forthcoming research on victims’ experiences and support needs were shared via an online webinar hosted by CYCJ and through presentations to the Scottish Government’s Child Rights Implementation Group and the Restorative Justice Conference hosted by CYCJ. Learning from the research was also incorporated into design workshops for a Single Point of Contact service for individuals harmed by children.
Beyond these activities, the research team has continued to provide research and evaluation support for service improvement activities being undertaken by Programme Protect and the Digital Team. This has included gathering evidence to support decisions around the longer-term use of the Children’s Hearing Champion Model, the Enhanced Partnership Model and the use of new digital tools to support the redaction of information in nondisclosure cases.
Our Property
SCRA’s focus is the provision of high-quality services from our premises that meet the needs of children, young people and families. Our properties, and the services we deliver from them, need to be flexible, resilient, sustainable and able to demonstrate value for money as our operational requirements evolve and change over time.
During 2025/26 a number of lease events were progressed and new 10 year agreements have been concluded for the properties in Inverness and Stornoway. Legal work to finalise the new lease agreement for SCRA’s building in Lerwick is also now substantially complete.
We have continued to invest in our estate to ensure our Hearing centres and office environments remain aligned with operational needs. Building on the lessons learned from previous years, we have undertaken further internal reconfiguration projects to enhance the delivery of both physical and hybrid Hearings, while also improving workspace arrangements to support greater staff flexibility. In parallel, we have progressed our programme of major repair and maintenance works, informed by condition surveys carried out in earlier years.
Revamp of Glasgow Hearings centre
Our main focus through the year was the major reconstruction of our Hearing centre in Glasgow. Following an extensive period of consultation including the receipt of several hundred responses, and a number of focus group meetings, a brand new design and look for the whole Hearing suite was developed by our designers, together with the production of a new set of Hearing centre design standards to be used as the basis for a new programme of improvements across our estate over the next few years.
The project has provided us with:
- A completely new colour palette, and
- furniture, that is designed to provide a calming
- and trauma-informed atmosphere in the
- Hearing suite
- Fewer, but better designed Hearing rooms with full AV connectivity
- An increase in the number of waiting rooms, with a variety of sizes to better meet the needs of users
- A redesigned, open reception area that is more welcoming to visitors
- Improved facilities for staff to take part in virtual Hearings
- Replacement of the heating and ventilation system with modern energy efficient equipment
The new Hearing centre was officially opened in November by the Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise, Natalie Don-Innes.
Refurb in Lerwick
Following on from the well-received work in Glasgow, the next Hearing suite to be refitted was in Lerwick, Shetland. This was the last Hearing centre in the country that still featured the old style formal table. The Lerwick project has used the design principles established in Glasgow to create a modern, ft for purpose Hearing centre on the island. Together with the renewal of the lease and repairs to the fabric of the building, this provides a great facility that will serve the Shetland Isles for many years.
Improvement projects have also been completed in our Greenock and Inverness properties, focusing on the staff areas, to create modern flexible workspaces. Each project included the creation of new meeting spaces, virtual Hearing booths, wellbeing spaces and the provision of new office furniture.
Improvements in Greenock
In Greenock, the first floor office accommodation was reconfigured to bring the full staff group together in a flexible workspace and allowed for the provision of new kitchen, touchdown and break out spaces. Following the preparation of a schedule of condition during the year, works will be carried to the external fabric of the building in 2026/27 ensuring the long term health of the building.
Changes to Inverness office
In Inverness, works were undertaken to the staff side of the building following the successful extension of our lease for a further 10 year term. By reducing the overall number of workstations in line with the organisation’s smart working and agile working principles, it was possible to create additional meeting rooms, breakout space and improved administration space within the existing office area. In addition, by redesigning an area of underused space in the Hearing suite, 3 quiet booths were created for virtual Hearings or court attendance along with a small area for staff well-being space.
External repairs in Paisley
A survey of our Paisley building identified that a number of external repairs had become necessary. Following this, works were undertaken to the building’s exterior and grounds to complete repairs and ensure that the property remains wind and water tight. Further work is planned to improve the internal layout of the building in line with our smart working and agile principles. Around the estate, our programme of condition surveys continues and the information gathered will help inform major repair and maintenance projects.
Major project underway in Dundee
During 2025/26 work commenced on SCRA’s next major project in Dundee. This comprehensive project will reconfigure the internal layout of the building and how SCRA uses the Hearing and office spaces. A full floor of the building will be freed up and made available to lease. Along with this the ground floor entrance and reception areas will be altered to provide shared access arrangements with a future tenant of the lettable space.
All of SCRA’s staff will be accommodated on one office floor following the smart working approach successfully adopted in our other offices. Modern, flexible workspaces will be provided with sufficient meeting, breakout and shared spaces. The first floor of the building will provide additional flexible space for training, meetings and extra Hearing space capacity.
The existing windows are approaching end of life and perform poorly compared with modern replacements. Upgrading windows and replacing glazing will improve the thermal and environmental performance of the building. Upgrading of heating and air handling systems are similarly planned to improve energy efficiency. This project will be completed in 2026/27.
Future projects
Planning has also commenced for work to both our Edinburgh and Dumbarton buildings. In each location it is intended to improve the Hearing suite environment, better utilise the available space and undertake building fabric and environmental upgrading where possible. In Dumbarton significant improvements will also be carried out to the staff offices, workspaces and facilities.
We continue to review the use of our estate, and wherever possible seek to find tenants for our surplus space. This year vacant space in Kilmarnock is now occupied by the Scottish Court and Tribunal Service, and in Dalkeith we have leased the first floor office space to the Dalkeith Citizens Advice Bureau.
Digital Services
2025/26 has been a year of significant delivery, implementation and foundation-building for SCRA’s Digital Services. Alongside maintaining reliable digital services, major operational transformation was delivered through the Non-Disclosure and Hearing Information Pack (HIP) programme. At the same time, joint investment activity with Children’s Hearings Scotland (CHS) helped establish foundations for future interoperability, service improvement and innovation across the Children’s Hearings System.
Digital Services continued to support delivery of SCRA’s Business Plan, Digital Strategy and Target Operating Model through structured planning, governance and prioritisation. Technology investment was increasingly aligned to organisational outcomes, service improvement, legislative change and future transformation.
Non-Disclosure and Hearing Information Pack transformation
A key focus during 2025 and the first half of 2026 was the successful national implementation of the Non-Disclosure (ND) and Hearing Information Pack (HIP) programme. Delivered collaboratively across Digital Services and operational teams, the programme introduced a redesigned approach to managing and sharing sensitive information. A key component was the Automated Redaction Manager (ARM), supporting the secure handling of information. Following implementation, work continued on optimisation, enhancement and benefits realisation.
Partnership working and Secure Data exchange
Progress continued through Mission 2, SCRA’s programme to strengthen partnership working and support secure information exchange across the Children’s Hearings System and wider justice sector. Digital Services worked with partner organisations to explore opportunities for improved data sharing, interoperability and service integration, including discovery work on the Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC) tool to support future secure information exchange.
Co-designing future Digital Services
Work also began on Mission 1, SCRA’s programme to develop a future digital portal for children, young people and families involved in the Children’s Hearings System.
Through user engagement, co-design and technical discovery, the programme developed user journeys, service designs and accessibility requirements informed by hearing-experienced young people and colleagues across the organisation. This work established the foundations for a future digital engagement platform designed to improve communication, participation and understanding of rights.
Modernising core systems
Alongside major transformation programmes, Digital Services continued to modernise SCRA’s core case management system (CSAS) and supporting platforms through strategic improvements and continuous engagement with operational users.
Delivering reliable Digital Services
The Digital Service Desk and CSAS Administration Team continued to provide critical support across SCRA’s technology estate and core business systems, helping ensure reliable, secure and effective digital services for colleagues and operational delivery across the organisation.
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