Help and support if you go to a hearing

You can bring someone to the hearing to help you. This could be a person you trust, an advocacy worker or a solicitor.

You might be able to get legal aid to pay for a solicitor. A solicitor can provide advice about your hearing or go with you to a hearing or court case.

There are also organisations who can help you if you're worried about your hearing.

Hearings Advocacy

You can speak to an advocacy worker to get support and representation.

Advocacy workers are independent professionals. They can help you tell the children's hearing panel how you feel and what you would like to happen

Visit the Hearings Advocacy website to find an advocacy service near you. You can also speak to a social worker for help finding an advocacy service.

The Scottish Child Law Centre

The Scottish Child Law Centre offers free legal advice online, over the phone and by email. They can answer any legal questions you have about your hearing.

Visit the Scottish Child Law Centre website for more information, including how to contact them.

Childline

Childline can offer emotional support to you before your hearing. It's free to call and they will not tell anyone that you called them.

Visit the Childline website to chat to someone online or speak to other young people on their message boards.

Call Childline on 0800 11 11.

Children 1st

Children 1st can help to:

• stopfamilies reaching crisis point
• keep children safe
• support children and families to recover from trauma and harm

Visit the Children 1st website.

Your local council

You can also speak to your local council's Children's Rights Officer, if they have one.