FCC Survey on Impact of Remote Sittings in the Family Court |
In light of concerns regarding the impact, including financial, of the current and projected future use of remote hearings in the family court, on magistrates, the Family Court Committee (FCC) has agreed to gather information from MA members who sit in Family Court.
Part of the background to this is the failure to secure any recognition of additional costs incurred by family magistrates to sit remotely, concern that this is forcing magistrates with more limited personal financial means to leave the magistracy, and any consequent impact on diversity.
The first 9 questions are about your individual experiences.
We would be grateful if you could complete the remaining questions as far as possible, so that we may gauge the extent of the issue, its current impact, and the need for wider information gathering. We are aware that not all respondents will have the necessary information - if you do not have the information available, please skip to the next question.
Thank you very much for taking the time to complete this survey.
Definitions:
'Digital competence': Being unable, or lacking in confidence, to use video conferencing
'Digital poverty': This includes not having a suitable device with which to participate in remote hearings, and not being able to afford to acquire one; not having adequate broadband/Wifi and not being able to afford to upgrade it; needing to heat/light an additional space in home (that would not otherwise be in use) and not being able to afford to do this.
'Unable to work from home (technical):' This includes not having reliable broadband eg in a rural area (ie not a financial issue); other family members already using up the available broadband to work from home
'Unable to work from home (environment)': includes not having a suitable space in which to do so; not being able to ensure privacy because of presence of other family members.
'Additional utility costs': This means over and above what you would have spent if not sitting remotely on that day (e.g. if you would still have been at home and incurred utility costs that is not additional cost, but if you have had to use a room at home that would have been left unheated but for the need to use it to sit remotely, please include that here.
'Digital competence': Being unable, or lacking in confidence, to use video conferencing
'Digital poverty': This includes not having a suitable device with which to participate in remote hearings, and not being able to afford to acquire one; not having adequate broadband/Wifi and not being able to afford to upgrade it; needing to heat/light an additional space in home (that would not otherwise be in use) and not being able to afford to do this.
'Unable to work from home (technical):' This includes not having reliable broadband eg in a rural area (ie not a financial issue); other family members already using up the available broadband to work from home
'Unable to work from home (environment)': includes not having a suitable space in which to do so; not being able to ensure privacy because of presence of other family members.
'Additional utility costs': This means over and above what you would have spent if not sitting remotely on that day (e.g. if you would still have been at home and incurred utility costs that is not additional cost, but if you have had to use a room at home that would have been left unheated but for the need to use it to sit remotely, please include that here.
If you have any questions about this survey, please send these to: zillah.holford@magistrates-association.org.uk