https://www.slab.org.uk/guidance/when-increases-in-childrens-cases-are-required-different-types-of-hearings/
https://www.slab.org.uk/guidance/when-increases-in-childrens-cases-are-required-different-types-of-hearings/
This page provides information on when increases in children’s cases are needed. It covers when increases may be needed in: an initial Children’s Hearing; at a criminal advice hearing; at an adoption advice hearing; in relation to Child Protection Orders and related hearings and Part 4 orders under the Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019. The sections set out the levels of increase generally available and the circumstances in which they may be needed.
This page gives guidance about the increases in authorised expenditure that we are likely to grant in children’s cases.
The initial limit of £135 should normally be enough to advise your client about the procedure at the hearing and to explain the Statement of Grounds and background papers. However, there may be cases where we will allow an increase to £250-£350.
Examples include:
Where the sheriff who is dealing with a child in an adult criminal court (JP court, sheriff court or High Court) asks for the advice of a children’s hearing on how a matter should be disposed of, the child will probably already have a grant of criminal legal aid or be receiving criminal ABWOR. Separate children’s advice and assistance may not therefore be necessary to advise them about the children’s hearing.
If they want you to represent them at the children’s remit hearing itself you need to admit the child to children’s advice and assistance and apply for ABWOR for this.
If the relevant person has been cited or invited to attend the criminal advice hearing, the initial limit of £135 is usually enough to advise them before the advice hearing takes place. You can also apply for ABWOR if they want you to represent them at this hearing.
The initial limit of £135 is usually sufficient for you to advise your client of procedure and consider the background papers or reports before the advice hearing takes place.
If the child or relevant person wants you to represent them at the adoption advice hearing you need to apply for ABWOR and an increase for this purpose.
The initial limit of £135 is usually sufficient to advise your client of procedure and consider background papers or reports before the second working day hearing takes place.
We will normally allow an increase of £350 to:
The initial limit of £135 is usually sufficient to advise your client of procedure when a police constable seeks a Part 4 Order before the Sheriff.
If the sheriff wants to hear from your client then you can apply for:
We will normally allow an increase of £250 to submit the legal aid application.
Increases in authorised expenditure
This page provides information on increases for the use of counsel within children’s A&A or ABWOR. It covers the limited scenarios in which the use of counsel under A&A is likely to be permitted (Opinions and consultations); the factors SLAB considers when assessing increase requests for counsel’s Opinion (including for appeals); the use of senior counsel; whether an increase is available for counsel to draft court documents; and the use of counsel in ABWOR cases.
Increases in authorised expenditure
Find out about increases for attending Social Work Case Conferences, Child in Care Reviews, Adoption matching panels etc, and our assessment of these.