Children's Hearings Scotland has reappointed 13 Independent Report Writers this autumn. We offer our thanks and congratulations to those who have undertaken the reappointment process.

CHS has 26 Independent Report Writers in total, a bank of professionals from across the country appointed to ensure the Children's Hearings System has the correct insights into the lives of young people and their families. 

What does a report writer do?

When a children’s hearing cannot make a decision, Panel Members may defer the hearing and request a report to provide additional information on the infant, child or young person. Our bank of report writers includes social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Of the 13 reappointed in 2025, five have backgrounds as psychologists and eight come from social work.

Once tasked with a particular report, Independent Report Writers have seven weeks to complete and submit it for consideration by the next panel. Independent Report Writers follow CHS best practice standards and sit for a two-year period before undertaking reappointment.

Rising demand

There are more than 21,000 children’s hearings across Scotland every year, and relatively few requests for reports. The number of requests has risen from 12 in 2020-21, to 24 in 2021-22, to 32 in 2024-25.

CHS took over responsibility for providing Independent Report Writers from the Centre for Excellence in Children's Care and Protection (CELCIS) in 2020.

“Independent Report Writers play a key role in the Children’s Hearings System, utilising their specialist skills and knowledge to support volunteers to understand the unique circumstances and often complex needs of infants, children and young people.

“Thank you to all report writers who underwent reappointment , and for their continued commitment to achieving the best outcomes for children.”

– David Mackay, Practice and Policy Team Manager