General – applications to us

All applications for children’s legal aid for proceedings under the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 are made to us and not the sheriff.

Children’s court proceedings include:

  • A S48 Application to the sheriff for Variation or Termination of a Child Protection Order (CPO)
  • S101 Statement of Grounds Proofs
  • S154 Appeal to the sheriff against a decision of a children’s hearing
  • S110 Application to the sheriff for a Review of Grounds determination
  • S98 and S99 Applications to the sheriff for an extension of an interim compulsory supervision order (ICSO)
  • S160 Appeal to the sheriff against a relevant person determination
  • S161 Appeal to the sheriff against a decision affecting a civil contact or permanence order
  • S162 Appeal to the sheriff against a Local Authority’s decision to implement secure accommodation authorisation
  • S163 Appeal to the Sheriff Appeal Court or Court of Session against a decision of a sheriff in a Grounds Proof, S154 Appeal, S110 Proof and ICSO extension
  • S163(2) Appeal to the Court of Session against a decision of the Sheriff Appeal Court in relation to the above
  • S164 Appeal to the Sheriff Appeal Court or Court of Session against a decision by a sheriff in relation to a relevant person determination
  • S164(2) Appeal to the Court of Session against a decision of the Sheriff Appeal Court in relation to the above
  • S165 Appeal to the Sheriff Appeal Court or Court of Session against a decision by a sheriff in relation to a decision affecting a civil contact or permanence order
  • S165 Appeal to the Court of Session against a decision of the Sheriff Appeal Court in relation to the above
  • S166 Review before a sheriff by a Local Authority in respect of duties placed upon them
  • S167 Appeal to the Sheriff Appeal Court by the Local Authority in relation to the above

 

See our guidance on solicitor and applicant signatures.

 

2011 Act cases concerning multiple children: multiple applications by Relevant Persons or other adult individuals not required

In this section

Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid

2011 Act cases concerning multiple children: multiple applications by Relevant Persons or other adult individuals not required

Find out how many legal aid applications you should submit in a case concerning multiple children, in context of conjoined court hearings under the 2011 Act.

Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid

Application directly by a child for children’s legal aid for 2011 Act children’s court proceedings

Find out how to determine if a child can apply for legal aid on their own behalf: assessing ‘general understanding of what it means to instruct a solicitor’.

Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid

2011 Act Applications for children’s legal aid on behalf of a child

Read about who can apply for children’s legal aid on behalf of a child and relevant legislation under the 2011 Act.

Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid

2011 Act applications for children’s legal aid by a Safeguarder

Find out about the rules on Safeguarders applying for children’s legal aid and the consequences of Safeguarders instructing another solicitor to act.

Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid

Applications for children’s legal aid by a curator ad litem

Find out if a curator can also act as solicitor for the client, if their work is covered by children’s legal aid and if a curator instruct a separate solicitor.

Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid

Statutory criteria for legal aid for sheriff court proceedings under the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 where your client is a child

This page provides information on the statutory criteria we apply when assessing applications for children’s legal aid by children in sheriff court proceedings under the 2011 Act.

Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid

Statutory criteria for legal aid for sheriff court proceedings under the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 where your client is a relevant person or deemed relevant person

Statutory criteria for assessing children’s legal aid (relevant or deemed relevant person as applicant) under 2011 Act: financial eligibility, reasonableness.

Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid

Statutory criteria for legal aid for sheriff court appeal proceedings relating to deemed or undeemed relevant person status

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

Statutory criteria for legal aid for sheriff court appeal proceedings under the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 where a client is a section 126 individual

Statutory assessment criteria for sheriff court appeal proceedings under 2011 Act where your client is a section 126 individual, incl. effective participation.

Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid

Other rights and facilities

Find out what other rights or facilities might mean your client does not qualify financially for children’s legal aid.

Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid

Supporting information you should send with application for children’s legal aid for sheriff court proceedings under the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011

Information and supporting documentation you need to send with a sheriff court legal aid application for various court hearing types under the 2011 Act.

Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid

Conditions on grants of legal aid

Find out about the conditions that we may attach to grants of children’s legal aid.

Sheriff Court Applications for children’s legal aid

Review of refusal of legal aid or conditions on the grant of legal aid

Find out about how to apply for a review of our decision where legal aid is refused or granted with conditions.