Society planning legal advice to help children solve problems

Workers at charity The Children's Society have developed the Lawyers for Young People initiative after dealing with a series of cases where youngsters have been denied legal help.

At present, it is difficult for anybody under 18 to engage a lawyer themselves, a situation the charity said left that some children with nowhere to turn to for advice and representation.

Under Lawyers for Young People, youngsters will be able to call a freephone number where their case will be assessed, before it is handed over to lawyers who will offer their help, often free of charge.

The service has been successfully piloted by The Children's Society in the London boroughs of Camden and Lambeth, as well as Colchester in Essex. It is hoped to make it a nationwide service by 2015.

Principal solicitor at The Children's Society Liz Fisher-Frank said following the successful pilot scheme, the move was a significant step forward for the organisation.

"We have chosen Sheffield due to the encouragement that we have received from both local legal firms and the local community, who have welcomed this service with open arms," she said.

"We hope that Lawyers for Young People Sheffield is able to respond to the need for improved access to justice for young people in the area."

Miss Fisher-Frank said the scheme will be available to all young people but was particularly aimed at ensuring the most vulnerable have a "better, easier route to an appropriate legal advisor".

The helpline will be staffed by trained charity workers and will "give children easier access to information, advice and representation on legal issues affecting their lives".

John McSweeney, managing partner at Howells solicitors which will take on cases from the service, said it was unlikely solicitors would get involved in disputes involving middle-class children who had problems with their parents.

He added: "There are young people out there who really need legal help, but can't access the system. Without being able to access proper legal help they can get into real trouble.

"It could be a child in care where the local authority is not sorting out meetings with their parents or a child with immigration problems. They will be able to ring the helpline and Children's Society workers will decide whether they have a case.

"They will then be put onto us where a specialist lawyer can assist, perhaps on a free basis or perhaps on a legal aid basis. Its a project we are extremely happy to support.

"We know, through our work in Sheffield, that there are youngsters who have to deal with problems which adults would struggle with, and we are happy to try and help those young people."

David Body, a partner at Sheffield-based Irwin Mitchell, which is signed up, said it was proud to take part. "As a firm we are committed to ensuring that everyone has access to the best possible legal service they require.

"We hope that through this we will be able to make a real difference to the lives of people using the service."

The service is available to young people either on freephone 0800 092 0953 or by emailing [email protected].

It is available Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday between10am and 12.30pm, and on Thursday between 3pm and 5pm.