As well as providing legal advice and support to those who need us, Hackney Community Law Centre also campaigns on issues of significance to wider society.
Publication of joint report with Hackney Migrant Centre – ‘A Place To Call Home – A Report into the Standard of Accommodation provided to Children in Need in London‘ – December 2015
Hackney Community Law Centre (HCLC) and Hackney Migrant Centre (HMC) published a new report: ‘A Place To Call Home – A Report into the Standard of Accommodation provided to Children in Need in London‘ in December 2015.
The report was written by lawyer, writer and human rights campaigner Charlotte Threipland and investigated the standard of accommodation provided to London’s migrant families under s17 of the Children Act 1989.
HCLC and HMC decided to commission the research to highlight the severe housing difficulties faced by thousands of destitute migrant families who are simply not on the radar of political decision-makers, policy-makers or journalists.
Some families we interviewed for the report were being placed in accommodation with no working toilet – one mother and her children were forced to use plastic bags to defecate. Other accommodation had no heating. Other families – overwhelmingly women and young children – were placed in accommodation with vulnerable and extremely disturbed adults.
London Borough of Hackney ‘Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission – ‘Youth Homelessness Review – Housing and Children’s Social Care’ – Monday 11th March 2013
In March 2013, Wendy Pettifer, HCLC solicitor, gave evidence to a Hackney Council scrutiny commission as part of the council’s ‘Youth Homelessness Review – Housing and Children’s Social Care’ investigations.
Read the minutes of the scrutiny commission where HCLC gave evidence (see pg 51).
London Borough of Hackney ‘Community Safety and Social Inclusion Scrutiny Commission on the ‘Impact of welfare and housing benefit reforms’ – Monday 16th April 2012
In April 2012, Sean Canning – HCLC Manager and Paul Heron – HCLC solicitor, gave evidence to a Hackney Council scrutiny commission on the ‘Impact of welfare and housing benefit reforms’.
Read the minutes of the scrutiny commission where HCLC gave evidence.
London Borough of Hackney ‘Reducing Re-offending’ Scrutiny Commission – Monday 7th November 2011
In November 2011, Ian Rathbone – HCLC Chair and Paul Heron – HCLC solicitor, gave evidence to a Hackney Council scrutiny commission on reducing re-offending, as part of the commission’s wider investigation into the effects of the August 2011 riots and the impact they may have had on HCLC’s work.
Read the minutes of the scrutiny commission where HCLC gave evidence.
London Borough of Hackney Community Safety and Social Inclusion Scrutiny Commission – Monday 14th February 2011
In February 2011, staff from the Hackney Community Law Centre (HCLC) gave evidence to a Hackney Council scrutiny commission on legal aid, as part of the commission’s wider investigation of community safety and social inclusion in the borough.
Read the minutes of the scrutiny commission where HCLC gave evidence.
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