The availability of increases for attending Social Work case conferences, Child in Care Reviews, adoption matching panels and other such meetings

ABWOR is only available for children’s hearings and certain other specified court hearings, tribunals and statutory inquiries.

ABWOR is not available for:

• Social Work meetings
• Case conferences
• Child in care reviews
• Matching panels
• Other such meetings instigated and organised by the Social Work Department

This is the case even where ABWOR has been granted to your client for any associated children’s hearing.

Advice and assistance can be provided to advise and assist your client both before and after such a meeting has taken place. We will not generally grant an increase in advice and assistance for you to attend such a meeting.

However, we may consider granting an increase to attend a meeting if you can show special circumstances such as:

• The issues to be discussed involve complex legal issues which could impact on associated children’s hearings or court proceedings

• Your client is particularly vulnerable or has physical or mental impairments making it difficult for them to understand the matters to be discussed
• Your client is a child who wants to attend the meeting and needs help in understanding the matters to be discussed
• Your client has been unable to secure other assistance and support