This document discusses a research study conducted by the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA) on decision-making by Children's Reporters in Scotland. The study aimed to examine the quality and effectiveness of reporter decisions, the information used, and factors influencing their assessments. Key findings included that reporters generally make proportionate and evidence-based decisions, but the quality of information provided affects this. Reporters seek to be child-centered but are constrained by their objective role. The document also provides two case studies illustrating typical reporter investigations and outcomes.

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ASSESSING EVIDENCE FOR COMPULSORY INTERVENTION
CHILDREN’S REPORTER DECISION-MAKING
MALCOLM SCHAFFER & INDIYA KURLUS
HEAD OF PRACTICE AND POLICY, SCRA
RESEARCH OFFICER, SCRA
APRIL 2015
www.scra.gov.uk

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SCRA
• Non departmental public body
• Sponsored by Scottish Government
• Head office in Stirling
• Nine localities

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What does a Children’s Reporter do?
• Receives referrals
• Investigates
• Makes decisions
• Administers Hearings
• Presents cases in court

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Who Refers?
• 75% police
• 6% social work
• 4% education
• 0.6% health
• 0.3% parents

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2013-14 Referral Statistics
• 19,077 children referred to the Reporter (children can
be referred more than once)
– 17,476 referred on care and protection grounds
– 2,764 referred on offence grounds
• 32,315 referrals received
– 25,497 on care and protection grounds
– 6,818 on offence grounds
• 3,915 children had Reporter decision to arrange a
Hearing (on at least one referral)

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Twin Test of Decision-Making
Need for COMPULSORY measures of supervision
And
Evidence to prove ground(s) for referral

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Examples of Grounds for Referral
• Lack of parental care
• Offence committed against a child
• Domestic abuse
• Forced marriage
• Offence committed by child

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Reporters Investigation
• level of investigation depends on nature of
referral and quantity of information already
available in referral or background history
• potential sources of information may include
family, school, health, social work, children’s
centre

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Decision-Making by Reporters
• Not to arrange a Hearing
• Refer to local authority for voluntary measures
• Refer to Hearing if
a) in need of compulsory measures of
supervision; and
b) evidence to prove ground of referral

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Reasons for not Referring to a Hearing
• insufficient evidence
• no need for compulsory measures
• Minor incident that can be dealt with by family
• change in circumstance since referral

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SCRA Research:
Children’s Reporter Decision-Making
Why?
• Recent enquires into child deaths and the Scottish
Parliamentary Inquiry on decision-making on taking
children into care raised questions on effectiveness
of child welfare decision-making
• Little research has examined Children’s Reporter
decision-making; and that which exists is over 15
years old (Hallett, Murray, Jamieson & Veitch, 1998)

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SCRA Research:
Children’s Reporter Decision-Making
What?
• How much are other agencies criteria for referral included
in the information provided to Reporters?
• What information do Reporters need to make decisions on
children referred?
• To what extent are Reporters getting the information they
need to make effective decisions?
• How can the quality of Reporter decision-making be
assessed?
• How child focussed is Reporter decision-making?

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SCRA Research:
Children’s Reporter Decision-Making
How?
• Scoping exercise (literature review and development and pilot of
toolkit)
• Decision-making data collection (via toolkit) of 200 referrals in last
week April 2013
– Referral information; Reporter’s Initial Investigation; Reporter’s Assessment;
Reporter’s Decision; and Hearing Decision (if applicable)
• Focus groups with Children’s Reporters (4 across Scotland)
– exploring thresholds, enablers and barriers to decision-making
• Analysis
– Quantitative data via MS Excel
– Qualitative data via thematic analysis

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SCRA Research:
Children’s Reporter Decision-Making
Findings
• Reporters have a key role in child welfare decision-making in Scotland
• In almost all cases, Reporters decisions found to be proportionate and evidence based
• Information in referrals is key to how Reporters make decisions – clear evidence and
accurate chronologies facilitate decision-making
• Relationships with other agencies and professionals affect how information is obtained and
how Reporters interpret it
• In most cases, Reporters are child centred in their decision-making
• Reporters are focussed on the evidence to support the grounds for referral
• Reporters felt that their role was objective and detached
• Reporters are aware where their own values and empathy impact on their
decision-making
• Concern over whether early intervention is possible if Reporters only see high tariff incidents
as a result of multi-agency screening prior to referral

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Case Study 1: Jamie
Referral information
• Jamie is referred to the Reporter by the police via Child Concern
Form
• Jamie is 12 years old
• He lives with his mum
• The police were called following an incident where mum took an
overdose of pills and alcohol
• Child was home
• Mum advises she has also been using Valium regularly since the
death of her mother
• Home in a very poor unhygienic state
• Police investigation discovers child known to social work as school
have concerns around attendance, but no social work involvement

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Case Study 1: Jamie
Reporter Investigation & Decision
• Reporter has phone conversation with social work, requests no further
information
• Social work advise:
– Mum has severe depression and unable to maintain daily routine
– Support previously provided by maternal grandparents, but no other sources
– Since death of maternal grandmother, mum has become more depressed and
threatened overdose
– Maternal grandfather has become depressed since death of wife and is
struggling to maintain his own lifestyle
– Child has been placed in care of maternal grandfather on voluntary basis to
provide mum with respite
– Social work advise a variety of services are to be provided
• Reporter final decision: No Action – Refer to Local Authority (a variety of
services are being provided and accepted, no need for compulsion)

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Case Study 2: Emily
Referral information
• Emily is referred to the Reporter via letter from social work
• Emily is 7 years old
• Police contacted by a concerned member of public as mum
intoxicated with child in her company buying more alcohol
• Police traced mum and child at home – child is sleeping
• Child removed from home and placed with father overnight
• Police contact social work who confirm family known to them
• Social work refer to Reporter as mum has alcohol dependency and
concern around ability to care for child, also suspected victim of
domestic violence
• Social work believe that although mum has been working with them,
this has been sporadic

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Case Study 2: Emily
Reporter Investigation & Decision
• Reporter requests Integrated Assessment Report from social work
• Social work advise:
– Child Protection Case Conference has been held, minutes to be forwarded to
Reporter in due course.
– Child has been placed on Child Protection Register
– Serious concerns around mum’s drinking and current and historical incidences
of domestic violence
– Concerns that mum is unable to adequately care for child due to her alcohol
dependency and inability to keep child safe from domestic abuse
• Reporter final decision: Arrange Hearing (serious concerns and although
mum currently cooperating with social work further compulsion may be
required)

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Hand Outs
• Kurlus, I., Hanson, L. & Henderson. G. (2014) Children’s
Reporter Decision-Making, Scottish Children’s Reporter
Administration: Stirling
• SCRA (2011) Framework for Decision Making by
Reporters, Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration:
Stirling
• SCRA (2015) Guidance on Referral to the Reporter –
Information for Partners, Scottish Children’s Reporter
Administration: Stirling