Need free legal advice? Able to travel to Hackney?

[David Roth]

Family Rights Group (in partnership with Hackney Community Law Centre), has set up a much needed advice service for relatives and friends, taking on the care of someone else’ child.

Who is the project for?
We will help relatives and friends who want to apply for a legal order to secure an arrangement to care for someone else’s child but cannot get legal aid to do so. This will often be as an alternative to the child entering the care system or in some cases it may be to enable a child to leave the care system.

What will the advice cover?
We will be running monthly surgeries, staffed by experienced volunteer lawyers, at Hackney Law Centre (East London) to

• • Advise clients on the legal options of caring for someone else’s child, including the implications for accessing support services
  • Help clients to complete court application forms to apply for Child Arrangements (for the child to live with them) or Special Guardianship Orders
  • Prepare a statement on the client’s behalf (where necessary)
  • Advise on the court process

We are not able to offer representation at court but we may refer clients on to organisations who are able to offer assistance at Court.

How to refer yourself:
If you
- live in London
- are a grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother, sister or other relative or friend, wanting to apply for a legal order to be able to look after someone else’s child and
- cannot get legal aid
please call Dorett White on 02079232628 or email dwhite@frg.org.uk or complete the form online here.

[Polly]

This is wonderful. Shame it is only for those in London as the need is enormous.

[David Roth]

distracted gran - the service is open to anyone who can reach Hackney. We said it was for people who live in London, as we know most people who live outside London wouldn't be able to make the journey to Hackney just for this advice. But anyone who's willing to travel to Hackney can make an appointment to be seen.

It is regrettable it can only being offered in Hackney for now, though it is great that Hackney Community Law Centre have agreed to work with us to provide this service. If anyone reading this is in touch with carers who could benefit, and live in or near enough to East London, please let them know - the more people who use it, the more we can show that there is a need for this project.

[David Roth]

This service started on the 7th October, and is now up and running!

The next session will be on the 4th November - if you are interested, or you know another family and friends carer who might be, please get in touch with Dorett White (referral process above).

This is an excellent and much-needed service, so please do make use of it.