A Children's Hearing is a legal hearing for children in Scotland. It is part of the country's justice and welfare systems. It takes into account the fact that children who commit crimes need the same sort of care as those who are victims of an offence or neglect. Only if a child has committed a serious crime will they be sent for trial in a normal court. For most cases they are sent to a children's panel. A panel is made up of three adults, with at least one member of each gender. The child's parent or guardian and their social worker will also be present at a hearing. 