MAKING A DIFFERENCE

LSC agree to a further tender round for family law contracts

The Association of Lawyers for Children (ALC) welcomes this afternoon’s announcement by the Legal Services Commission (LSC) that it will hold a fresh tender round for family law providers, leading to contracts effective from 1st April 2012.

Read the full press release from the Association of Lawyers for Children (23 Jan 2012)

NYAS Appeal to LSC Family Contract Refusal 2012

Click here to see the appeal documents

The NYAS Helpline

The Helpline provides a free single point of access to all NYAS services, and by clarifying the issues that the call relates to, sympathetically advise, guide and refer callers to the most appropriate NYAS service.

Our advisers are here to support children, young people, and vulnerable adults, across England and Wales, to ensure their rights are up held.

We welcome enquiries from representatives of children, young people, and vulnerable adult such as professionals, practitioners, family or friends too.

Open the full document

Hearing the voice of the child through the tandem model

This paper was presented at the Dartington Conference on 30 September 2011 by Christine Renouf (NYAS Chief Executive) and Mary Mulin (NYAS Assistant Chief Executive).

Download the paper

NYAS Launches New Legal Service

Friday 6th October 2010 sees the launch of an expanded national legal service for children, young people and their parents/carers, as the National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS) opens a new legal practice in Essex.

The new team of specialist lawyers will strengthen the existing NYAS legal team and will deliver legal advice and representation to children, young people and vulnerable adults across England and Wales. It will complement the support provided by the 400 plus NYAS advocates, and is crucial at a time when public authorities are making unprecedented cuts in services to this client group.

NYAS was successful in obtaining contracts in the recent Legal Services Commission civil bid round which will enable us to assist in the following types of cases:

• Representation of children and young people in private family law proceedings when appointed by the court;
• Care proceedings and applications by young people for contact with their siblings;
• Assisting homeless children and young people to obtain accommodation from local authorities;
• Enabling “looked after” children and young people to obtain correct levels of support, and leaving care services from local authorities;
• Assisting children and young people “in need”, vulnerable adults, and their carers, to obtain assessments and care services including direct payments;
• Advising and supporting children with disabilities and special educational needs, and their parents and carers in relation to education issues and discrimination;
• Complaints to school governing bodies, local authorities, NHS trusts and the Ombudsman (NHS, Local Government and Parliamentary).

Although based in Essex and the North West, the NYAS legal team will be able to support its vulnerable client group across most areas of England and Wales.

Julia Thomas, Director of Legal Services (South) for NYAS, said:
“I am delighted to be leading the team in the Essex office. NYAS has always been a leading provider of high quality legal services to children particularly in private family law proceedings. The range of civil contracts we have been awarded will now allow us to provide a holistic service to some of the most vulnerable clients in society.”

Christine Renouf, the new Chief Executive of NYAS, said:
“I am very pleased to be joining NYAS at this exciting time when the expansion of our legal services will enable us to help so many more vulnerable children, young people and adults, and provide them with high quality legal advice and representation.”

Contact Julia Thomas, Director of Legal Services (South), on 01376 310640 or julia.thomas@nyas.net

Birkenhead charity National Youth Advocacy Service to raffle title : The Lordship of Melling

June 15th 2010 by Laura Jones, Liverpool Daily Post

A Merseyside charity is hoping the bequest of a feudal title with reap Royal rewards for their coffers.

The National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS) was left the title of the Lordship of Melling by London teacher George Barnes in his will.

Now the Birkenhead-based charity is going to bestow the title each year on one lucky raffle winner.

Elena Fowler, NYAS’ Chief Executive, said “There will be a mayoral robe and we will present a scroll for the Lordship to whoever wins as a bit of fun”.

“But they will be able to sign their name ‘Lord Melling’ quite legitimately and they’ll also be able to watch the Melling Cup in style.  Aintreee have been very supportive and have given us tickets for the races as part of the prize” she said.

The bizarre bequest also came with a large donation to the charity, which works to offer legal advice and support for children who find themselves in the court.  “The Trustees have agreed that the best use of the title was to make it an annual event, and it will be a bit of fun which will hopefully raise the profile of our work”.

“George Barnes was a teacher who had a reputation for sticking up for children.  He left a will and made it clear that he wanted the money to go to an organisation that spoke up for children in trouble.”

NYAS supports the Interdisciplinary Alliance for Children
NYAS, along with several other organisations have come together as an Interdisciplinary Alliance for Children to express their deep concern about Government plans to use the forthcoming Schools and Safeguarding Bill as a vehicle to amend key legislation in relation to the protection of children, without proper consultation with key stakeholders in the family justice system within the terms of the Cabinet Code on Consultation.  Nor has there been an impact assessment of the dangers for and feelings of the children concerned.

Read the joint press release from the Interdisciplinary Alliance for Children

NYAS at 2008 World Forum
NYAS was represented at the recent World Forum event in Cardiff by Sharon Lovell (Operational Manager for Wales) and Chris Hindley (Director ICT & QA).

The conference showcased the best in preventative services from around the world and NYAS was asked to deliver a workshop on its approach to ensuring young people's issues are addressed at the earliest possible point. Highlighting the Charity's Signposting Services, Chris took delegates through the journey NYAS has travelled from the beginning of the Children's Fund in 2002 to the mainstreaming of the service in 2008.

In addition, both Sharon and Chris described how recent changes to how NYAS is accessed, the referral process and the way in which work was monitored combined to offer a more responsive service to the children and young people who contact NYAS from across England and Wales.

Liverpool FC legend: Howard Gayle works for NYAS
HOWARD GAYLE was a pioneer in Merseyside football. As the first black player to pull on a Liverpool shirt in 1980 he paved the way for the likes of John Barnes, Mark Walters and Michael Thomas to follow.

Born in Toxteth and raised in Norris Green, Gayle went from playing on the fields of Sefton Park to running on in a European Cup semi-final against Bayern Munich inside three years.

But Gayle’s journey to the top – and his battle to stay there – was tough and painful as he suffered at the hands of the racism which was endemic in the 70s and 80s.

Read the full article from the Liverpool ECHO website

MP recognises work of NYAS young peoples group
A letter of thanks from Bridget Prentice MP to the members of a young person's group facilitated by NYAS.

Letter from Bridget Prentice MP (PDF)

Children's rights solicitor scoops top legal award
Children's solicitor Sophia Khan, from the National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS), has picked up the David Hershman, Association of Lawyers for Children (ALC) award for Outstanding Newcomer in the Field of Child Law. She was presented with the award by Lord Justice Wilson, at the annual ALC Hershman Levy Memorial Lecture at London South Bank University. ARTICLE CONTINUES

NYAS was delighted to have received from a young person who had used our service a donation in his will. We were extremely grateful to be remembered by the young person.

The Future of Separate Representation
An article written by Charan Martin (Barrister for NYAS), which was published in Seen and Heard Vol 16 Issue 4, titled The Future of Separate Representation

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