In her response to the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) consultation on legal aid, Maggie Atkinson said proposals to discontinue legal aid for cases relating to immigration, private family law and education would deprive children of the right to be heard in judicial and administrative proceedings that affect them.
According to Atkinson, this would be against the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The response also said it would be "inappropriate" for any changes to be made to the system before the conclusion of the family justice review.
Atkinson said: "The proposals are potentially devastating for some of the most vulnerable children in our society, those with special educational needs, children subject to deportation or removal or whose parent may be removed, unaccompanied children applying to remain, and children caught up in divorce proceedings or in the care system.
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