https://www.slab.org.uk/guidance/application-directly-by-a-child-for-childrens-legal-aid-for-childrens-court-proceedings/
https://www.slab.org.uk/guidance/application-directly-by-a-child-for-childrens-legal-aid-for-childrens-court-proceedings/
A child is entitled to apply for legal aid without the help or intervention of any other person. Where we are satisfied this is appropriate, we will accept an application by the child. The child must be of an age to be able to give instructions to you directly to act as their solicitor.
Where we grant legal aid to the child in this circumstance, we will pay you for all reasonable and necessary work carried out for the child.
If a child directly consults you on a children’s matter, you must form a view of the child’s general understanding of what it means to instruct a solicitor.
If you send us an application for legal aid made by a child aged 12 or more, we will assume you have satisfied yourself that the child has a general understanding of what it means to instruct a solicitor and your application will be automatically registered in the name of the child.
If you submit an application made by a child aged under 12, you will be asked if you are satisfied that the child has a general understanding of what it means to instruct a solicitor.
If you are not satisfied you will not be permitted to proceed with the application. If you are satisfied we may then, or at a later stage, query this with you and ask you to provide further information in this respect. This may occur for example, where the child is very young.
Unless you are acting in a representative capacity, a very young child or a baby cannot give direct instructions to you acting as a solicitor.
Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid
Find out how many legal aid applications you should submit in a case concerning multiple children, in the context of conjoined court hearings.
Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid
This page provides information on the statutory criteria we apply when assessing applications for children’s legal aid by children. It covers specific considerations for Statement of Grounds proofs; application to the sheriff to extend/further extend or vary/further vary an interim compulsory supervision order under S98 or 99 of the 2011 Act; Section 154 appeal against a children’s hearing decision; and review of a grounds determination in terms of S110 of the 2011 Act.
Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid
Read about the statutory criteria for assessing children’s legal aid (relevant or deemed relevant person as applicant): financial eligibility and reasonableness
Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid
Find out about the statutory application criteria for sheriff court appeal proceedings relating to deemed or undeemed relevant person status.
Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid
Read about the statutory assessment criteria for sheriff court appeal proceedings where your client is a section 126 individual, incl. effective participation.
Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid
Find out what information and supporting documentation you need to send with a sheriff court legal aid application for various hearing types.