New format Children’s duty plans for 2019-20 published

The Children’s Hearings Duty Plans for the next 12 months are now available. These plans cover the period 29 July 2019 to 21 June 2020  and replace the temporary plans running until 28 July.

We have changed the format of the plans for this year. Instead of weekly slots being allocated to individual firms we have now listed alphabetically the firms that have selected each geographical area.

We will contact firms on a rotating basis to ensure fairness of distribution of duty requests. We will contact the local firms initially. If they are unable to cover the request we will then contact non-local firms.

Please note that if we have three or more local firms, we will not show the non-local firms who have selected the area, however your options have been retained should the local firms be unable to assist.

Should this situation arise, we will then look to instruct a solicitor from a firm out with the area.

You should check that your firm’s details are correct and that you are included on the areas you selected.

These plans are living documents and can be updated with solicitors, firms, areas and dates you are unable to cover at any time throughout the year.

For details of the statutory provisions relating to the children’s duty scheme and information on the current payment arrangements for duty scheme solicitors, please see the eligibility criteria.

Duty plans by geographical area:

• Glasgow and Strathkelvin
• Grampian, Highlands and Islands
• Lothian and Borders
• North Strathclyde
• South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway
• Tayside, Central and Fife

If you were unable to submit a duty application form prior to the deadline, or because PVG certification had not been obtained in time, please note that we can now accept your firm’s application during the duty scheme period and update the plans with your details.

For more information please contact:
Margaret Russell, Deputy Team Leader, Children’s Legal Assistance, on 0131 240 2690 or russellma@slab.org.uk