Scottish children’s panels: Where volunteers are essential for fostering child well-being

Abstract

The Children’s Hearing system was established in Scotland over 50 years ago to respond to child welfare and juvenile justice concerns. Found throughout all regions of Scotland, the child welfare system is a community-based approach where volunteers play an essential role by serving on Children’s Panels. This research focuses on the Children’s Panel volunteers and explores their role within the Children’s Hearing system, reasons for volunteering, types of cases reviewed, their training, and volunteers’ broader influence as catalysts for improving child well-being. It then explores the possibility of replicating the evidenced based model in other cultural settings struggling to find holistic, community-based approaches to child well-being.