Children's Panel members make decisions about the welfare of vulnerable children and young people. Children's Panel members are vital to Scotland's Children's Hearings System. Panel members are lay members of the community, aged 18 or over and come from a wide range of backgrounds. They are unpaid volunteers who are appointed to the Children's Panel to make decisions at children's hearings about the help and guidance necessary to support children and young people. Decisions are made in the best interests of the child or young person to help and protect them.