NSPCC Backs Family Bar

Posted on | March 18, 2009 | No Comments

Family Law Newswatch reports:

The NSPCC is supporting the Bar Council and the Family Law Bar Association’s campaign to stop the Ministry of Justice’s proposals to cut family legal aid.

NSPCC lawyer Barbara Esam said: “The proposed, repeated cuts in legal support in family law cases comes at the worse possible time, as the pressure to improve child protection work is rightly higher than ever.

“These are precisely the specialists society needs if the courts are to be able to make the right decisions about when a child needs protection.

“The NSPCC’s work to protect vulnerable children and families relies on the ability to access a pool of specialist advocates at the family Bar.

“The NSPCC urges the Ministry of Justice to reconsider its plans to cut funding in these cases.”

In December the government unexpectedly revealed proposals to cut family legal aid in some cases by as much as 55%, having previously indicated that the cuts would be 13% to 14%.

As a result, in the event of the proposed legal aid cuts going ahead, over 80% of family barristers said they intend to change practices.

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