Children’s Rights in Children’s Hearings: The Impact of covid-19

Abstract The Scottish Children’s Hearings System makes life-changing decisions regarding the care and protection of children up to 18 years age referred due a need for support – because offending behaviour or risk their physical emotional safety. In March 2020, covid -19 crisis, underwent one most significant changes since inception: proceedings shifted an online conferencing platform (“virtual hearings”), some procedural modifications were introduced. June we used survey gather more than 270 responses from professionals, volunteers, young people, families who had experience virtual hearings. These highlight that while there are reasonable justifications use hearings, including duty ensure orders appropriately reviewed renewed, concerns related people’s right participation, privacy representation bring into question extent which children’s rights realised in Hearings.