THE SCOTTISH CHILDREN’S REPORTER ADMINISTRATION (SCRA)

The Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) – operating since April 1996 - is a national body focused on children and young people whose welfare may require a level of compulsory measures of intervention.

SCRA is a key part of Scotland’s unique Children’s Hearings System which provides legal measures of care and protection to children and young people who are at significant risk of harm or who may pose a risk to themselves or others.

SCRA’s focus is to be a single national point of referral for agencies and others who have a concern about a child. Our focus is on ensuring the needs of the individual children who are referred to the Reporter are met, and in doing so ensuring the full range of their rights are respected and upheld whilst enabling their views and perspectives to be fully heard, understood and considered throughout the process.

Children and young people's experiences guide us – we aim to listen and learn from them and be approachable and open. These are the fundamentals upon which our Rights, Inclusion and Corporate Parenting Strategy is built. We share responsibility with other agencies for how the children’s hearings system performs and actively work with these partners in support of better outcomes for children and young people. We fully support the work of Our Hearings Our Voice in ensuring children and young people’s rights, views, needs and preferences drive our work.

SCRA is also responsible for the children’s hearings centres where hearings are held and works hard to ensure they are accessible and welcoming.

THE BOARD OF THE SCRA

The SCRA board has corporate responsibility for: setting strategic direction, holding the senior management to account for ongoing continuous improvement, managing risk, engaging with partners and influencing organisational culture by ensuring that SCRA upholds the vision and mission of the organisation, whilst promoting the efficient and effective use of staff and other resources in line with the principles of best value. Board members’ responsibilities include:

• Understanding SCRA’s role within the children’s hearings system and wider public services;
• Strategic oversight of SCRA’s contribution to hearing system re-design and implementation of identified transformational changes;
• Overseeing the preparation and approval of annual corporate, financial and operational plans to deliver the objectives and outcomes set out in SCRA’s framework documents;
• Agreeing challenging targets for the organisation and monitoring its performance;
• Supporting the Principal Reporter and senior team to deliver the organisation’s objectives;
• Ensuring that SCRA is following best practice in its governance functions;
• Acting as an ambassador for SCRA to build positive relationships with partners to achieve better outcomes for children, young people and their families;
• Working productively with key partners (these include Children’s Hearings Scotland, local authorities, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Social Work Scotland);
• Following the Board Members’ Code of Conduct at all times, particularly when performing the functions of the board and on any of its committees, sub-committees and groups;
• Attending board meetings on a regular basis and being well prepared by reading relevant papers in advance and, if necessary, seeking further information to ensure understanding;

• Upholding the principles of public life as set out by the Ethical Standards Commissioner at all times.
  

Further Information

For more information, we would encourage you to attend an online drop-in session being held at 6.00 pm on Tuesday, 14 July 2026 where we will be discussing the roles and appointment process. Those interested in attending should contact Pamela.Armstrong@scra.gov.uk at SCRA for further details and a link to the event.

You can also contact Cathie Cowan, Chair of the SCRA, at Cathie.Cowan@scra.gov.uk . Further information about SCRA can be found at Welcome to SCRA | Scottish Children's Reporter Administration .

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Role 1 (Priority Criterion)

• We are specifying particular expertise in digital transformation for this role:

Digital transformation.

Roles 1 and 2 (Essential Criteria)

The second role does not require specialist expertise but does require particular skills:

• Ability to demonstrate and promote SCRA’s core values;
• Good governance and sound decision-making;
• Strategic leadership;
Communication and influencing.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

If you wish to be considered for Role 1, you must provide evidence in your supporting statement about how you meet the priority criterion set out for Role 1 as well as the essential criteria set out for Role 2.

If you apply for Role 1, you will also automatically be considered for Role 2 should your evidence of the priority criterion be below the threshold for shortlist. If this is the case, you will be informed in your invite to interview. If you are applying for Role 1 but do not wish to be considered for Role 2, please indicate this in your application.

If you wish to be considered only for Role 2, you should only submit evidence against the essential criteria set out for Role 2.

Full details are set out in the Person Specification in the Applicant Information Pack.

To apply for these roles, follow these instructions:

Late applications, and those without the supporting statement/two page career history, will not be considered by the panel.

EQUALITY STATEMENT

Scottish Ministers value highly the benefits of diverse Public Body Boards. People from all walks of life are encouraged to apply for public appointments.

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).

Appointees will be asked to complete pre-appointment checks which will include a Disclosure Check (there is no charge for this) and the joining of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme. Appointment is conditional on satisfactory completion of these.