Lady Butler-Sloss urges government not to cut legal aid in child welfare cases
Former President calls for the prioritisation of children’s needs
Lady Butler-Sloss, the former President of the Family Division, has called on the government to safeguard access to justice in child welfare cases by prioritising their needs when considering legal aid savings.
Delivering the Law Society's inaugural Sir Henry Hodge Memorial Lecture, Lady Butler-Sloss said too many children face challenges ranging from the effects of poverty, lack of education, problems within the family, trafficking and prostitution, neglect, and criminality.
She said:
'The financial cost, even in this period of austerity, must not blind us to the essential requirement in considering priorities to put children and what they require at the beginning, middle and end of all discussions and decisions which need to be made.
'I am of course aware of the huge burden of legal aid. The last government made substantial cuts to legal aid in family cases. The Ministry of Justice is likely to be making further cuts.
'But the welfare of children is the paramount concern of the courts in the Children Act 1989. It must not be lost sight of by the government in its austerity measures.'
For more details see The Law Society's Gazette.