The Secretary of State’s announcement of a call for evidence is a welcome step providing an opportunity for greater accountability on internal suspension and the post-suspension process The Education Secretary stated in her speech today that she wants to ‘improve how we do exclusions’. Setting out ways this can be done was the aim of CCLC’s…
Today’s school exclusion statistics do not show the full scale of school exclusions: the official figures only tell part of the story. Statistics on school exclusions show that the numbers of children being temporarily or permanently excluded from school have fallen for the first time since the pandemic. This change in direction is a positive…
The Government’s pilot to offer families up to £40,000 if they leave within seven days raises concerns amongst organisations working with families in the asylum system. For families seeking asylum there can be a number of barriers preventing return such as governments refusing to issue travel documents or nationality being disputed. Serious medical needs, risks…
R (Kone) v Secretary of State for the Home Department concerned a Home Office decision to grant limited leave to a child instead of settlement, because although her father was a British citizen living in the UK, her mother only had limited leave. The Court of Appeal held that the Home Office view was incorrect.…
The Home Secretary has announced implementation of sweeping changes to the asylum system, first announced in November in its policy paper Restoring Order and Control. We have previously welcomed the Home Office’s statement that the government would consider the appropriate pathway for refugee children in families at the time of publication. However, we are now…
CCLC welcomes the Department for Education white paper Every Child Achieving and Thriving and the consultation SEND reform: putting children and young people first but awaits further detail on whether children will receive meaningful legal protection We welcome action to reform the SEND system to better help children and families access the help they need…
As the Home Office’s earned settlement consultation closes, the UK’s oldest children’s charity warns of huge impacts on 300,000 children The Government consultation on earned settlement closes today. In a massive overhaul of immigration policy, it proposes extending the standard route to settlement, or indefinite leave to remain (ILR), from five years to ten for…
The High Court has ruled that Hounslow Council unlawfully failed to recognise a child as “looked after” and provide him with adequate accommodation and support under the Children Act 1989, in a successful judicial review initiated by Coram Children’s Legal Centre (CCLC). The claimant, CLT, was represented by Finnian Clarke of Doughty Street Chambers, instructed…
Coram Children’s Legal Centre and UNISON guide for social workers working with children and families in the asylum and immigration systems UNISON, the public service union, have published a guide for their social workers, written by Coram Children’s Legal Centre. This guide is intended to provide information for social workers and other professionals in Wales…
As the government publishes its long awaited child poverty strategy, children’s organisations that work with families in the immigration system are pleased that it mentions no recourse to public funds (NRPF) but concerned that soon more children will have no recourse. It is very important that the Child Poverty Taskforce has recognised that hundreds of…
Ahead of the child poverty strategy’s publication, the Refugee and Migrant Children’s Consortium calls on the government to address poverty experienced by children in the immigration and asylum systems. The children’s sector has warmly welcomed the lifting of the two-child limit, announced in last week’s budget. Now children’s organisations are waiting to see what the…
Coram Children’s Legal Centre is concerned by plans for children in this week’s asylum and immigration proposals, urging caution with language. The Government has announced further immigration proposals that will delay many children, young people and families reaching permanent status. While we welcome the renewed commitment to children in the care system and young people…