Independent Social Workers are not listed in the Remuneration Regulations, and are instead paid in accordance with paragraphs 7.180 and 7.181 of the Standard Civil Contract in line with the rates payable by CAFCASS for the work. In May 2022 CAFCASS introduced a national rate of £35 per hour.

Guidance on the Remuneration of Expert Witnesses in Family Cases v10 identifies the threshold above which prior authority should be sough and identifies benchmark hours for an ISW assessment of one parent to be 30 hours, two parents 40 hours and 3 individuals 50 hours (Table 1 at 3.10).

Table 5 at 5.1 in the Guidance provides a benchmark work breakdown for a standard ISW assessment. Consideration will need to be given to the expectations in any instruction related to work involved in attending to each child.

Specialist assessments, like PAMS/ParentAssess will typically require 37 hours for one parent and 52 hours for a joint assessment.

Where these models of assessment form the basis of a specific parenting with support assessment, a rate of 5 hours for attending to each additional adult will be required.

Sibling assessments will normally require 40 hours for two siblings and 5-10 hours per additional child.

Adherence to LAA rates in public law proceedings will be the primary expectation, although in exceptional circumstances including short timescales or expectation of unsociable working hours, an increased hourly rate may be quoted.

Travel time is charged separately at 2/3 of the hourly rate and 45p per mile. VAT will be added to the final invoice.

Fixed fee quotations may be provided for assessments outwith public law proceedings, plus travel time, mileage and VAT.