Being a Panel Practice Adviser (PPA)

Who are Panel Practice Adviser (PPAs)?

At Children’s Hearings Scotland (CHS), our purpose is to ensure our hearings make child-centred decisions which respect and protect children’s rights and support them to thrive. We work hard to provide training, support and monitoring across our community of 2,300 volunteers.

Panel Practice Advisers play a key role in our CHS community in helping us meet our aims. They provide quality assurance observations during hearings, offering independent insight into practice. Drawing on our National Standards, they reflect with Panel Members, on what went well and identify opportunities for further development.

Working closely with our regional teams, Panel Practice Advisers also support the recruitment and reappointment process for Panel Members.

'I’ve been a volunteer Panel Practice Adviser since 2018. There’s something very rewarding about being able to work with panel members to provide them with support, encouragement and feedback.'

Helping shape high quality hearings

Panel Members are given extensive training, but, their knowledge, skills and confidence grow with experience. Feedback and guidance from Panel Practice Advisers provides valuable reflection points that support this development.

Across CHS, we promote a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Observations carried out in regions also help us identify national training needs, ensuring we deliver the best quality hearings for infants, children and young people.

'It's good to see Panel Members develop. You can then see them grow their skills and experience, until they become a strong member of the panel team.'

Could you be a Panel Practice Adviser?

Panel Practice Advisers bring the same strong commitment as our Panel Members to our values - challenging, child-centred, creative, respectful fair and open. Above all, you must care about the welfare of infants, children and young people and to helping us achieve the best possible outcomes for them.

You’ll will be an effective communicator with an empathetic approach when feeding back to Panel Members. With our training and support, you will develop an understanding of hearing procedures and the skills and knowledge of Panel Members. You should also be methodical in observing and recording your conclusions.

Does this sound like a role that you can take on? If so, please contact us at chsrecruit@chs.gov.scot.

'The professionalism and competence of the Panel Practice Adviser was what I valued most about the observation. She was able to appreciate the challenges facing panel members. The written feedback report was clear, balanced and drew very specifically from the practice issues arising in the cases being heard.'

What happens in a hearing?

If you are visiting us for the first time, you may have lots of questions about what the children's panel is and what we do.

FAQs