This week that more than 8 million pupils go back to school in England. Coram Children’s Legal Centre argues that children’s access to free school meals and schools’ access to funding for disadvantaged pupils should never hinge on immigration status. In May 2018, in response to news coverage in The Guardian which stated that children…
There are over half a million European national children living in the UK, 38% of whom were born here. Non-EU children currently struggle to regularise their immigration status in a system which is complex, expensive and for which there is no free legal advice. For the past year, Coram Children’s Legal Centre has been calling…
The government has issued guidance for legal aid caseworkers confirming that those representing unaccompanied and separated children should apply for legal aid via the exceptional case funding scheme, prior to LASPO amendment. This was confirmed following the Ministry of Justice announcement to reinstate legal aid for unaccompanied and separated children with immigration matters last month,…
CCLC immigration solicitor Sophie Freeman has been named Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year in the social and welfare law category.
Coram Children’s Legal Centre welcomes today’s announcement from the Ministry of Justice that immigration matters for unaccompanied and separated children in care will be brought back into the scope of legal aid. We look forward to working with the Ministry of Justice to amend the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO)…
On 3 July 2018 the Greater London Assembly published new guidance aimed at helping young Londoners to secure their citizenship or immigration status. CCLC wholeheartedly welcomes the publication of this guidance by the GLA. Support from the Mayor of London for young people with insecure immigration status – young people Sadiq Khan called ‘London’s DREAMers’…
On June 15 the Immigration Minister announced a new form of immigration status for children who came to the UK from Europe under the ‘Dubs’ amendment but who do not qualify for refugee status or humanitarian protection.
A recent report from the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration looked at the Home Office’s handling of unaccompanied children seeking asylum, and gave particular focus to how the best interests of those children are upheld when they are transferred from one local authority area to another under the National Transfer Scheme (NTS). The…
UK government confirms legal aid available for victims of trafficking following court challenge Legal aid is vital for children and young people to realise their rights. However, legal aid was cut for a number of areas of law – the negative impact of which is explored in our recent report. One area where it was still available was for victims…
BBC Radio 4’s Today programme highlighted the plight of young people who have grown up in the UK who are subject to the hostile environment
We have published an information page on studying, ‘no study’ conditions and immigration bail. In January 2018, changes were made to the law regarding immigration bail. Anyone without leave to remain to enter will be subject to immigration bail. This includes asylum seekers, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, undocumented children and young people and care leavers without…
CCLC recently collaborated with the Youth Justice Legal Centre (‘YJLC’) and others on a guide about ‘county lines’ and trafficking. This new YJLC guide is intended to give criminal lawyers and professionals information about county lines gangs, child trafficking & modern slavery defences for children. County lines, trafficking & child criminal exploitation (CCE) County lines is “the…