The Children’s Tribunal System: Living Responsibly With COVID-19

While the legal restrictions surrounding the pandemic have now come to an end, we recognise that there is still a need for us all to remain vigilant and to act responsibly to minimise the risk of spreading the virus and other illnesses. 

Here is an update on what we are doing to keep Hearings and Convenor Meetings safe for everyone:

Face Coverings

Although the legal requirement to wear a face covering has now been removed it is recommended that a face covering is worn:

• In enclosed communal spaces
• In crowds where it is difficult to maintain physical distance
• Where there is poor ventilation

We will always respect your wish to wear a face covering when coming to a Hearing or Meeting. It is helpful for us to know this in advance so that we can make appropriate arrangements for the Hearing or Meeting, particularly when other people will be taking part remotely.

Stay at Home if Unwell or if you test Positive

Please stay at home if you have any symptoms or if you test positive for COVID-19 and contact us on 223290 or email [email protected] as soon as possible. We will then discuss with you the appropriate next steps. For example, if you are feeling well enough to take part, we may be able to make arrangements for you to take part remotely in the Hearing or Meeting. If you are feeling unwell, we recommend taking a Lateral Flow Tests (LFTs) before attending a Hearing and only attend in person if it is negative.

Remote and Hybrid Hearings

We will continue to follow the guidance and respect your personal space. If we are not able to achieve this in our Tribunal room at Briarwood, we may hold the Hearing at another venue. We may also ask some or all of the people who will be attending to take part remotely.

We wish to minimise any disruption or delays to Hearings of the Tribunal due to participants not being able to attend in person. Hearings are extremely important and we do what we can to ensure certainty and continuity for attendees.

We understand that not all participants will have access to a suitable internet connection or an appropriate device. In these situations, we will make arrangements for them to take part remotely from Briarwood or another suitable location.

We have provided further guidance on remote Hearings – click here.

If you have any concerns about attending a Hearing or Meeting, please contact us on 223290 or email [email protected]. You will find the name of the Convenor on the letter or email that you have received inviting you to attend.