Children's Reporter

The Children's Reporter decides whether a child referred because of concerns, including offending, should go to a children's hearing.

Children's Reporters work for the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA). Anyone can refer a child to the Reporter, but most referrals come from the police, social work or schools. The Reporter investigates, gathering information from sources such as social workers and teachers, and decides whether there is a ground for referral and whether the child may need a compulsory supervision order. If so, the Reporter arranges a children's hearing. If not, the Reporter may take no further action or arrange for voluntary support or restorative justice. For offending by children aged 12 or over, the police may report the case to the Reporter, and in more serious cases jointly to the Reporter and the Procurator Fiscal, who decide together which system should deal with it.

Checked as at 25 September 2026. General information only, not legal advice.