Independent social workers slam "draconian" cuts to court fees

Agencies representing social workers have stepped up their campaign against plans to reduce court fees by 40-50%, claiming that the profession has been singled out for more draconian cuts than any other group of expert witnesses.

The British Association of Social Workers and union Nagalro – together with agencies Independent Social Work Associates and Willis Palmer – met senior civil servants at the Ministry of Justice to warn that independent social workers would give up court work if the cuts were implemented.

The groups claimed the proposals are badly timed given the current crisis in social work. They also suggested that the MoJ and the Legal Services Commission were unable to provide data to support the proposals, and criticised recent consultations for creating confusion.

Judith Timms, Nagalro policy consultant, said: “Our very real fear is that independent social work experience will be lost to the courts at a time when children and families desperately need it and courts themselves are under great pressure.”

The groups called for the decision on fee-capping to be delayed until the outcome of the ongoing Family Justice Review as “this will enable an evidence-based decision to be made particularly in relation to the impact on children”. They also said that ISWs should be included in the current MoJ project that is reviewing fee arrangements for all other court-appointed expert witnesses.

Phil King of ISWA said: “Without ISWs, courts will turn to more expensive experts like psychologists to fill the gap so costs will rise. Civil servants do not seem to realise that social work expertise is in great demand. ISWs will go where their skills are better appreciated and rewarded.”