*/
Legal aid for unaccompanied child migrants will be reinstated after a five-year legal battle between the government and a leading children’s charity.
In a written ministerial statement, Justice Minister Lucy Frazer QC confirmed that legal aid would be extended to cover immigration matters for unaccompanied and separated children. The move followed a legal challenge and long-running campaign by The Children’s Society after the removal of public funding in the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO).
Frazer said her department had examined evidence presented as part of the case and data on funding applications.
‘Based on the distinct nature of the cohort in question, and of our data regarding them, I have decided to bring these cases into the scope of legal aid to ensure access to justice,’ she said.
Research by The Children’s Society in 2015 suggested thousands of children had been denied access to the law since LASPO came into force, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and homelessness.
The Children’s Society Chief Executive, Matthew Reed said: ‘This is an important change in policy which will go a long way to protecting some of the most marginalised and vulnerable young people in our communities.’
He said legal aid was an ‘absolute lifeline’ for children who are subject to immigration control and who are in this country on their own.
Legal aid for unaccompanied child migrants will be reinstated after a five-year legal battle between the government and a leading children’s charity.
In a written ministerial statement, Justice Minister Lucy Frazer QC confirmed that legal aid would be extended to cover immigration matters for unaccompanied and separated children. The move followed a legal challenge and long-running campaign by The Children’s Society after the removal of public funding in the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO).
Frazer said her department had examined evidence presented as part of the case and data on funding applications.
‘Based on the distinct nature of the cohort in question, and of our data regarding them, I have decided to bring these cases into the scope of legal aid to ensure access to justice,’ she said.
Research by The Children’s Society in 2015 suggested thousands of children had been denied access to the law since LASPO came into force, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and homelessness.
The Children’s Society Chief Executive, Matthew Reed said: ‘This is an important change in policy which will go a long way to protecting some of the most marginalised and vulnerable young people in our communities.’
He said legal aid was an ‘absolute lifeline’ for children who are subject to immigration control and who are in this country on their own.
Chair of the Bar reports back
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
Get ready to lead in a rapidly evolving digital landscape
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, outlines the drug and alcohol testing options available for family law professionals, and how a new, free guide can help identify the most appropriate testing method for each specific case
By Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management
The odds of success are as unforgiving as ever, but ambition clearly isn’t in short supply. David Wurtzel’s annual deep‑dive into the competition cohort shows who’s entering, who’s thriving and the trends that will define the next wave
Where to start and where to find help? Monisha Shah, Chair of the King’s Counsel Selection Panel, provides an overview of the silk selection process, debunking some myths along the way
There is no typical day in the life as a Supreme Court judicial assistant, says Josephine Gillingwater, and that’s what makes the role so enjoyably diverse
The Bar Council is ready to support a turn to the efficiencies that will make a difference
The white-collar criminal and civil silk Jonathan Fisher KC, Independent Reviewer of Disclosure and Fraud Offences, advocates modernising the disclosure regime and harnessing AI to reduce the court backlog. He tells Anthony Inglese CB about his career path and conclusions of his review
