Children’s lawyer office returns to BC
Posted August 10, 2016 2:06 pm.
Last Updated August 10, 2016 2:40 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Children in this province will once again have their own representation in the courtroom thanks to a pilot project launched by the Law Foundation of BC.
A children’s lawyer office will speak up for the kids involved in things like custody cases.
Legal representation for children used to be funded by the province, but that was cut by the BC Government about ten years ago according to the executive director of the law foundation. Wayne Robertson says the need is still there.
“This would be staffed by lawyers and likely paralegals who would assist children with the variety of legal problems that they sometimes face, some of which involve them being involved in family law matters where their parents are fighting about the parenting arrangements that are going to apply after a separation. They may also get involved in child protection proceedings where children have been removed from their parents’ care and in those situations, lawyers could get involved to speak to the judge about what the children’s issues are.”
The foundation will be searching for a group to manage the office over the next few months.
BC’s Children’s advocate is applauding the Law Foundation’s proactive step.
Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond says “Lawyers trained to support children and youth to ensure their voice and rights are taken seriously is crucial and overdue.”
