Spotlight on Learning Leads and The Learning Hub

Supporting learning across the Children’s Hearings System

During 2025/26, SCRA and partners across the Children’s Hearings System achieved a significant milestone with the launch and continued development of the Learning Hub.

The Learning Hub is an open-access online resource on our website designed to support professional learning and improve understanding of the Children’s Hearings System.

The Learning Hub provides accessible, high-quality learning materials for professionals working across the sector and for anyone seeking to learn more about Scotland’s unique system of care, protection and justice for children and young people.

At the heart of this work are the Learning Leads, a collaborative group of professionals drawn from organisations across the Children’s Hearings System and representatives of SCRA’s Locality Teams and a Practice Team member. Bringing together a wide range of expertise and experience, the Learning Leads have worked in partnership to identify learning needs, develop content and create resources that reflect the realities of practice. Their commitment and enthusiasm have been instrumental in turning the vision of a shared learning platform into a reality.

The Learning Hub was developed in response to growing demand for accessible, consistent learning resources that could be accessed at any time and from any location. By making materials freely available online, the Hub supports learning for both experienced practitioners and those who are new to the Children’s Hearings System.

The resources can also be used more widely by students, partner organisations and others with an interest in understanding how the system operates and the roles of different agencies within it.

The first learning packages available through the Hub covered key areas of practice, including an introduction to the Children’s Hearings System, referral to the Children’s Reporter and child-friendly scheduling. These modules provide learners with practical information, guidance and insight into the principles and processes that underpin the system.

During the year, the range of resources continued to expand, including the development of learning materials specifically for Police Scotland colleagues to support decision-making about referrals to the Children’s Reporter. Additional learning packages are also in development, ensuring that the Hub continues to grow in response to the needs of professionals and partners.

A key feature of the Learning Hub is its emphasis on continuous improvement. Learners are encouraged to provide feedback at the end of each module, helping to shape future content and ensure that resources remain relevant, effective and responsive to changing practice needs. This collaborative approach reflects the wider partnership ethos of the Children’s Hearings System, where learning and improvement are achieved through shared knowledge and collective effort.

The Learning Hub has already attracted interest from partners across the Children’s Hearings System, with organisations promoting the resources through their own internal channels and networks. Its success demonstrates the value of partnership working and highlights what can be achieved when expertise is brought together around a common goal.

During the initiation period of the Learning Hub work, the wider project work included the introduction of live webinar sessions, offering an introduction to the Children’s Hearing System and process of referral of a child to SCRA.

These monthly webinars have attracted over 1,700 connections since August 2024 and have become a recognised core component of the wider Learning Leads project intentions.

As the Learning Hub continues to develop, it will play an increasingly important role in supporting learning, strengthening professional understanding and promoting consistency across the Children’s Hearings System. It is also a ready platform for supporting legislative changes which will come into effect over coming years.

We are grateful to all the Learning Leads and partner organisations who have contributed their time, knowledge and expertise to this important initiative. Together, they are helping to build a culture of learning that ultimately benefits the children and young people at the centre of the system.