After section 181, insert—

“181AAnnual reports on timescales in children’s hearings system

(1)

The Scottish Ministers must, as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each reporting period—

(a)

prepare a report containing the information mentioned in subsection (2) in relation to—

(i)

Scotland as a whole, and

(ii)

to the extent that the information is available at this level, each local authority area,

(b)

make the report publicly available, and

(c)

lay a copy of the report before the Scottish Parliament.

(2)

The information is information about the timescales—

(a)

between—

(i)

the Principal Reporter receiving a notice, information, a statement, evidence or a reference mentioned in section 66(1)(a) in relation to a child, and

(ii)

the Principal Reporter making a determination in relation to the child under section 66(2),

(b)

between—

(i)

the Principal Reporter making a determination under section 66(2) that it is necessary for a compulsory supervision order to be made in relation to a child, and

(ii)

a grounds hearing being arranged in relation to the child or an application to the sheriff being made under section 69D or 69E,

(c)

between—

(i)

a grounds hearing being held in relation to a child or an application to the sheriff being made under section 69D or 69E, and

(ii)

the child’s referral to a children’s hearing being discharged or a compulsory supervision order being made in relation to a child,

(d)

between such other actions relating to the referral (or possible referral) of a child to a children’s hearing and the making of decisions in relation to the child as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate.

(3)

A report under subsection (1) may contain such other information as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate.

(4)

Information contained in a report under subsection (1) must not identify (or enable the identification of) a particular child.

(5)

In this section, “reporting period” means—

(a)

the period of 2 years beginning with the day on which section 49 of the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Act 2026 comes into force, and

(b)

each subsequent period of 1 year.”.