Children Law Accreditation
The accreditation covers all types of children law work and is recognised by the Legal Aid Agency.
It’s a way for clients and professionals (such as guardians) to choose a qualified practitioner when a child needs representation.
Eligibility
To apply for the Children Law Accreditation, you must be a:
- solicitor
- chartered legal executive employed by an SRA regulated practice (where at least one solicitor who specialises in children law work) who holds an advocacy qualification awarded by the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives
You must have enough experience to show that you have:
- personally conducted cases and represented parties in children proceedings
- carried out advocacy for clients
- a thorough awareness of ethical issues that can arise in children cases
- an up-to-date knowledge of guidance, legislation, case law and practice developments
- the ability to work directly with children, explore their competence and understand their wishes and feelings
We expect you to meet the standards of practice and conduct outlined in the Code of Practice for Children Law (PDF 50 KB).
How to apply
To apply for accreditation, you’ll need to:
- complete a training course
- submit a detailed application
- attend an assessment
The accreditation process takes around six to eight weeks. It can take longer if we receive high volumes of applications or if you do not give us all the information we need.
Re-accreditation
Membership of the Children Law Accreditation lasts for three years.
You can apply to be re-accredited up to three months before your accreditation expires.
Find out about re-accreditation
Cost
You’ll need to pay for an application and a membership fee to be accredited.
You must not pay when you submit your application. We’ll send you an invoice when we receive your application.
Application fees are not-refundable.
| Application | Application fee | Membership fee | Total (including VAT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial application | £245 | £270 | £618 |
| Re-accreditation | £245 | £270 | £618 |
| Other fees | Cost | Total (including VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Late application | £103 | £123.60 |
| Certificate re-issue | £10 | £12 |
| Appeal against decision to refuse accreditation | £258 | £309.60 |
Promoting your accreditation
We have a range of free materials such as logos, certificates and window stickers for you to use.
Current members
Download a list of Children Law Accredited members (PDF 1.5 MB)
This list is updated monthly and includes information about languages spoken, specialist areas of practice and court areas covered.
Contact us
Call: 020 7320 5797
Email: accreditation@lawsociety.org.uk
Opening hours: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
Publications
You can buy guidance on current law and procedure from our bookshop: