Advice for Families

Advice for Families was Runner Up in The Lawyer magazine’s Ethical Initiative Awards 2013. Since 2015, we have supported over 600 of the most vulnerable families in Coventry with legal advice through this project.

This pioneering service was piloted initially with funding from The Baring Foundation. It has demonstrated that specialist legal advice resolves problems for parents that would otherwise be barriers that threaten the stability of the home and good parenting.

Coventry City Council now provides funding for two dedicated advisers to work alongside staff in the children’s services team. Our advisors provide information and initial legal advice as well enabling immediate access to specialist advice from the teams at the Law Centre.

Initially the family is offered a home visit; at the core of the work we do with the families is our legal expertise. However, we adopt an approach that is not simply about using this to solve problems for the families, but which includes assistance in building their capacity to cope independently with the day to day management of some of their issues.

Coventry Law Centre Troubled Families Evaluation report

Advice for Families Impact report 2016-17

Latest

Central England Law Centre Board Trustees

As a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, we have a board of dedicated trustees who share ultimate responsibility for how our governance and how the overall organisation is managed and run. We're now seeking to strengthen our Board through the recruitment of one or more new trustees who will bring their unique blend of skills, experience and knowledge to ultimately benefit our communities across Coventry and Birmingham.
Home Office amends rules to include partners with pre-settled status within scheme of support for survivors of domestic violence

In response to the Law Centre's case, the Home Office has now amended the immigration rules to include partners with pre-settled status within the new scheme of support for migrant victims of domestic abuse.
CELC Response to Ministry of Justice Review of Civil Legal Aid

The Law Centre submits response to the Ministry of Justice’s call for evidence in the ongoing Review of Civil Legal Aid as part of our mission to ensure access to justice for all.
Intensive Support

Funded by Coventry Building Society and the NHS Innovation Fund, the Law Centre employs two intensive support workers to help vulnerable clients to not only solve their immediate legal issue but to take a holistic approach to addressing underlying issues, enabling them to move from a position of crisis to a point of stability.

Migrant Advice Portal

AMIF Project
Rights in Peril Project

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Mother and Child Project

Upholding the legal rights of pregnant women and young mothers who are or have been in the care system. Download free resources and access short tutorials on the legal framework for the support and protection of vulnerable children and care leavers.
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Migrant friendly cities

MiFriendly Cities is working to improve employment, skills, self-employment, health screening and rights knowledge of migrants across the West Midlands.