What Services Do NYAS Legal Offer?
NYAS Legal can provide advice, assistance and representation to children and young people on children & family matters. Particularly in complex private law proceedings in relation to where the child lives and the time spent with the other parent. the Judge can join the child as a party and appoint NYAS to act as the children’s guardian.
NYAS is the only organisation, apart from CAFCASS (Children and Family Court Advisory Services) that can be appointed by the Court to represent a child in Children Act proceedings through the provisions of the Family Procedure Rules 2010, commonly referred to as a Rule 16.4 Appointment.
How Does NYAS Legal Services Work?
In 2000, NYAS was the first children’s charity to obtain its own legal aid contact and have its own in-house legal department.
NYAS has developed a model where caseworkers work alongside in house lawyers to represent the child, ensuring that the child’s voice is heard in proceedings about them and their wishes and feelings are made known to the very people who are making decisions for them. The solicitors are based in Birkenhead but will travel when necessary.
NYAS Caseworkers are Independent Social Workers; the Caseworker will usually be more local to the children and the family. We are able to cover the whole of England and Wales.
Four of our solicitors are accredited by the Law Society as children law or family law specialists.
Diane Cogan, National Executive Director for Legal Services and Debbie Singleton, Legal Director (Family) are Accredited by the Law Society as specialist Children Law solicitors.
Alison Cotgreave, Principal Solicitor and Michael Fagan, solicitor, are Accredited by the Law Society as specialist Family Law solicitors.
Giving a Voice to Children and Young People
Amplifying the voice of children amidst the noise of the parental dispute can often have quite dramatic results in helping both parents to agree to give ground and put their children’s best interests first.
NYAS Legal supports care leaving young parents in proceedings about their own children whether that is disputes between parents on the arrangements for their children or in circumstances where the Local Authority is involved in pre proceedings or in care proceedings.