Raising the age of referral to the Children’s Reporter – CELCIS Consultation Response

Read response

CELCIS welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Scottish Government’s consultation ‘Raising the Age of Referral to The Principal Reporter’.

Currently, a child turning 16 who is not already subject to a compulsory supervision order (CSO) or an open referral to the Reporter cannot be referred to the Children’s Hearings System. This means that some 16 and 17 year olds not previously known to statutory agencies may require compulsory levels of care and protection, but are not eligible to be referred to the Reporter. Given this, raising the age of referral is a necessary step to protect the rights of all children in Scotland.