About the Children's Law Centre
The Children's Law Centre was established in September 1997.
It is founded upon the principles laid down in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The Centre works to protect the rights of all children living in NI particularly those who are the most disadvantaged, e.g. children with disabilities, special educational needs, mental ill health, homeless young people.
- We use the law to access critical services for children and young people and to challenge the discrimination and disadvantage suffered by many of our most vulnerable children.
- We provide a free legal advice service and legal representation for children and young people.
- We also work to create a society where all children can access all necessary services and opportunities they need to enjoy their childhood and realise their full potential.
- We are committed to giving a voice to the most disadvantaged and voiceless children.
Children’s Law Centre is a company limited by guarantee, No NI33998
Northern Ireland Charity number: NIC 101148
CLC move to our new premises
on the Ormeau Road, Belfast
Meet the team
Julie Graham
Youth Participation and Advocacy Worker
I support and develop CLC’s youth advisory panel Youth@CLC. I engage with schools and external youth groups, and assist in amplifying the voice and influence of children and young people by empowering them on their rights.
Paul Hamilton
Training and Engagement Co-ordinator
I work with children's rights experts at CLC to develop learning programmes that help increase knowledge and awareness of children's rights.
Diane Hammond
Legal Adviser
I provide legal information and advice on the rights of children and young people.
Rachel Hogan
SEND Specialist Legal Adviser
I work within the legal team, giving specialist support on special educational needs and disability issues.
Liam Mackle
Advice Manager
My job is to provide legal information and advice on the rights of children and young people.
Catherine Maguire
Legal Adviser
I provide legal information and advice on the rights of children and young people.
Sarah McAuley
Receptionist/Administration Assistant
I am the receptionist and admin support. I am usually the first person you see, or voice you hear, when you call CLC.
Fergal McFerran
Policy and Public Affairs Manager
My job is to make sure we’re using all of CLC’s experience and expertise to engage, inform and influence decision makers to uphold the rights of children and young people.
Eamonn McNally
Mental Health Solicitor
I provide advice and representation for children and young people with mental health needs at the Mental Health Review Tribunal and take judicial reviews on their behalf.
Katie Mercer
Trainee Solicitor
I am training to be a Solicitor. My role is supported by the Legal Education Fund's Justice First Fellowship. As part of my training, I assist with CLC's legal work. I will also undertake a project on access to justice as part of the Justice First Fellowship.
Emma Murray
Policy and Public Affairs Officer
My job is to help CLC promote children’s rights and achieve change in Northern Ireland that complies with children’s rights standards and is directly informed by the voices and views of children and young people.
Sam Nelson
Digital Communications and Marketing Manager
I manage the communications at CLC, making sure children's rights issues are heard by those who matter, especially children and young people themselves.
Hannah Newburn
Solicitor
My job is to provide legal information, advice and assistance, undertake casework and provide representation for children and young people referred to the Children’s Law Centre.
John O'Doherty
Chief Executive Officer
I am responsible for providing strategic leadership, overseeing daily operations and ensuring CLC fulfils its mission and goals. This includes working with the Board of Trustees to guide long term planning and sustainability, managing staff, securing funding and maintaining stakeholder relationships.
Helen Rafferty
Head of Administration and Finance Unit
As part of the Senior Management Team I am responsible for office and admin management including financial implementation, HR, payroll and procurement.
Kathryn Stevenson
Head of Legal Services
As Head of Legal Services, I am responsible for the operational management and strategic direction of CLC’s legal team.
CLC Management Committee
Trása Canavan
Trása Canavan is the Senior Policy & Public Affairs Lead for Barnardo’s NI. Trása works closely with the wide range of services delivered by Barnardo’s NI, to understand the realities facing children in Northern Ireland and uses this evidence to shape policy to achieve the best outcomes for children.
Sarah Elliott
Sarah Elliott is an Associate Partner at Worthingtons Solicitors. She trained, qualified and practiced as a family law solicitor within Worthingtons for around 5 years, specialising in both public sector and private sector children’s law applications under the Children’s (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 along with other matrimonial and financial matters. Over the past few years Sarah then moved into an Associate role within Worthingtons healthcare litigation department, specialising in medical negligence claims both in the private and public sector for actions on behalf of children and adults, specialising in maternal injury, birth injury and cerebral palsy cases sustained as a result of child birth. Sarah is therefore very familiar as to the range of challenges children meet as a result of the many forms of civil litigation and aims as a member of the CLC Board to apply her experience and knowledge of legal actions taken both in relation to or on behalf of children in order to assist the Centre.
Jerome Finnegan
Jerome is the Policy and Practice Impact Adviser at Save the Children. He has worked on a wide range of issues, from early education to climate change to poverty, and experience of working with children and families to campaign for change.Jerome is committed to human rights and working collaboratively with others to achieve positive social change.
Chris Haugh
Chris Haugh is a Chartered Accountant, currently working as Claims Team Manager within Invest Northern Ireland. He has more than 10 years post qualification experience working within finance, audit, risk and governance roles in a wide variety of organisations in the public, private and third sector. As a member of the CLC Board and Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, Chris applies his financial skills to assist in the effective governance of the Centre.
Eόin Millar
Eóin is a Bar Student at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies, Queen’s University Belfast. He has served on the boards of several youth and community focused charities. He has a commitment to youth voice and participation, and a strong interest in the rights and wellbeing of children and young people.
Amanda Stewart
Amanda is part of the Senior Management Team at Northern Ireland Youth Forum. She leads on projects that are mainly focussed on housing, homelessness and mental health, ensuring that young people have their voices heard and are involved in decisions that affect their lives. Amanda is currently studying to become a psychotherapist as well as being a mummy to three amazing and lively boys! In her very limited spare time she likes to run (a little bit) and does yoga.
Alicia Toal
Alicia is the Chief Executive of Voice of Young People In Care (VOYPIC) a children’s charity that promotes the rights and voice of children in care, aiming to ensure that every child has a safe, stable, and positive experience of care and is involved in decisions about their life.
Our Vision
A society where all children can participate, are valued, their rights are respected and guaranteed without discrimination and every child can achieve their full potential.
Our History
The Children's Law Centre was established in September 1997. It is founded upon the principles laid down in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.