Government extends legal aid for those seeking special guardianship orders

The Ministry of Justice announced on 1 May that new measures are being introduced to extend legal aid to friends and extended family members applying for special guardianship orders in private law hearings. A special guardianship order is a private law order made under the Children Act 1989, intended for those children who cannot live with their birth parents and who would benefit from a legally secure placement. Other measures also being introduced include: standardising the means and merit testing requirements for birth parents in proceedings where a local authority is authorised to place a child for adoption; and an extra £10 million a year in housing legal aid.