Last week family law professionals group Nagalro warned that plans to raise legal costs by as much as 2,750 per cent would deter councils from initiating child protection cases (CYP Now, 16-22 April).
But a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Justice said the new fees, which will come into effect from 1 May, would not harm child protection work. "Local authorities pay court fees from legal or other budgets, not children's services budgets," she said.
"There is no reason to think local authorities will act inappropriately or be influenced in their approach to initiating proceedings by cost considerations. Children's services have a statutory obligation to protect the interests of children."
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