Author: Sam Nelson

14 April 2026

The Children’s Law Centre (CLC) is seeking passionate, committed individuals to join our Board of Trustees and help shape the next phase of our organisation’s development.

This is an exciting time to join us. We are currently developing our new strategic plan and in 2027, CLC will mark 30 years of championing children’s rights in Northern Ireland. We are looking for people who share our vision of a society where all children and young people have their rights respected, protected, and fulfilled.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit:

• Your CV.
• A cover letter outlining why you are interested in becoming a Trustee and what you would bring to the role.
• A completed monitoring form.

Applications should be sent to: reception@childrenslawcentre.org

12 March 2026

The Children’s Law Centre (CLC) has presented evidence to the NI Assembly Committee for Communities as part of its scrutiny of the implementation of the Children’s Services Co‑operation Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 (CSCA).

During the session, CLC outlined the significant gap between the promise of the CSCA and the practical reality experienced by children and young people a decade after the legislation was enacted. While there has been some progress, including the adoption of a children and young people’s strategy and examples of effective joint working, CLC maintains that these developments are not yet embedded as a consistent, system‑wide approach to improving well‑being.

CLC’s Written Evidence Highlights Several Key Issues:

Lack of consistent, outcomes‑focused co‑operation

Reports on the operation of the Act show that cross‑departmental co‑operation is still often ad hoc, reactive and not clearly driven by the statutory duty set out in the CSCA.

Insufficient measurement of impact on children’s well‑being

Despite the intent of the Act, government has yet to demonstrate, through data, shared metrics or transparent reporting, how children’s well‑being has tangibly improved. The system remains stronger on describing activity than evidencing outcomes.

Barriers to pooling resources and aligning systems

Departments remain unclear or hesitant about the CSCA’s enabling powers and opportunities for deeper collaboration are being missed. Guidance exists, but it is under used in practice.

Need for meaningful engagement with children and young people

Comments from young people reinforce that children do not feel genuinely involved in shaping decisions that affect them. Participation remains inconsistent and often tokenistic.

What’s Next for the Children’s Services Co-operation Act?

The second decade of the CSCA must focus on implementation, measurement and accountability, with a renewed commitment to co‑operation rooted in children’s rights. This includes:

• Establishing shared indicators of well‑being
• Transparent data collection
• Stable long‑term planning
• Co‑designing improvements with children and families.

CLC will continue to work with decision makers, duty bearers and young people to ensure the Act reaches its full potential as a system wide driver for improving the lives of all children and young people in Northern Ireland.

02 March 2026

The Children’s Law Centre and South Tyrone Empowerment Programme (STEP) have jointly responded to the UK Government’s consultation on A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, raising serious concerns about the impact of the proposals on children and families.

In responding, the organisations describe the government’s proposals as “wrong, harmful and dangerous” and call for them to be withdrawn in their entirety.

CLC and STEP have warned that the proposals fail to meaningfully consider the UK’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The principle that the best interests of the child must be a primary consideration is not reflected in measures that would:

• Lengthen and prolong routes to settlement for many families, potentially across the entirety of a child’s childhood;
• Introduce or expand “no recourse to public funds” conditions, increasing child poverty and homelessness;
• Restrict family reunion routes;
• Apply changes retrospectively, penalising families for having lawfully accessed support; and
• Create additional barriers to children registering as British citizens.

Deirdre McAliskey, Policy and Engagement Manager at STEP said: “We firmly reject the concept of ‘earned settlement’. Tying settlement to income levels, volunteering requirements or past use of public funds risks creating a discriminatory, two-tier system that disproportionately harms children from low-income households, single-parent families and those with insecure immigration status.

“Children have no control over their family’s income, migration journey or immigration applications, yet would bear the long-term consequences of extended insecurity and restricted access to support.

“Settlement is not a reward to be earned but a necessary foundation for safety, stability and full participation in society.”

Fergal McFerran, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at the Children’s Law Centre said: “Longer and more complex routes to settlement such as those proposed by the UK Government will increase the risk of destitution, homelessness and exploitation.

“We urge the government to abandon the current proposals and replace them with fair and safe processes that uphold children’s rights and provide clear, timely routes to settlement. Fairness must mean protecting children from poverty, insecurity and discrimination – not embedding those risks into law.

“Children seeking safety in the UK deserve stability and dignity, not a childhood defined by uncertainty.”