Government urged to reduce family court fees

“Children and Young People Now” reports that lawyers are calling on the government to reduce the courts fees that have to be paid by local authorities, who take children into care.

The Family Proceedings Fees Order 2008 (SI 2008/1054) comes into force from the 1st May 2008 and makes large increases to the court fees that have to be paid in proceedings under the Children Act 1989.

The Association of Child Abuse Lawyers (ACAL) reports that the fee paid by a local authority to issue care proceedings has risen from £150 to £4,825. The aim of the government appears to be to make the court service self funding, but fears are growing that the fees increase will make local authorities less willing to act to protect vulnerable children.

ACAL has launched a petition together with the Association of Lawyers for Children against the increases.

Log onto http://www.childabuselawyers.com/campaigns.asp and http://www.alc.org.uk/ for more details.