Implications of the Illegal Migration Bill - Part Three - Unaccompanied Children

Garden Court Chambers is held an online seminar on the new Illegal Migration Bill which is being rushed through Parliament and its serious implications for asylum-seekers. 

This was the third and final event in our three-part webinar series about the Illegal Migration Bill. 

See details for Part One here, and Part Two here.

Topics included:

• Age assessments
• Home Office provision of accommodation and ‘other support’
• Home Office Cancellation of ‘Looked After’ status
• Detention and removal of children
• Children’s Lost residence and citizenship rights 

Speaker Panel

Nicola Braganza KC (Chair), Garden Court Chambers
Nicola is recognised as a leading barrister specialising in Equality and Discrimination Law, Public Law and Human Rights. Her broad practice spans the areas of Employment, Education, Community Care, Immigration and Asylum Law.

She has considerable experience in bringing complex and large-scale challenges against the state, including civil claims for damages on behalf of individuals and groups. She has particular expertise in representing highly vulnerable adults and children, including victims of trafficking and modern slavery, and those held in immigration detention.

Amanda Weston KC, Garden Court Chambers
Amanda is a leading public and administrative law silk. She co-authors Judicial Review: A Practical Guide (Lexis Nexis) and is a member of the ‘A’ Panel of preferred Counsel who act for the Equality & Human Rights Commission. Amanda has acted in hundreds of asylum and human rights appeals including in high-profile and sensitive cases and those involving extradition. Her cases include gender and sexuality cases, complex political and religious cases and appeals for children and vulnerable adults. 

Amanda also acts in cases in the Family Division, Administrative Court and appeal courts where the rights of children and young people are in play. Her particular areas of ‘crossover’ expertise involve safeguarding, local authority corporate parenting duties, education and disability, deprivation of liberty, immigration and citizenship matters and sensitive cross-cultural areas including FGM, 'radicalisation', trafficking and forced marriage. She operates a 'trauma informed' practice.

Kathryn Cronin, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Kathryn has an extensive and varied immigration, asylum and family law practice. Kathryn has expert knowledge of the intersection between family law and immigration law. Kathryn is known for her representation of vulnerable clients, in particular asylum and human rights cases involving women and children. She regularly provides advice to parties, local authorities or guardians ad litem concerning the steps to be taken to resolve immigration problems whether for parents or for minors. She also advises in family proceedings concerning immigration and nationality issues as well as international adoptions, international surrogacy arrangements and transnational care and child placement arrangements.

Kate Aubrey-Johnson, Barrister Garden Court Chambers
Kate is a youth justice specialist barrister and mediator at Garden Court Chambers with experience as a criminal defence practitioner and public lawyer. She is a convenor of the Garden Court Children's Rights Team. Kate is co-author of the leading textbook Youth Justice Law and Practice (LAG, 2019). She is a youth justice expert and is regularly called upon to give lectures and deliver training. She chairs the Ministry of Justice’s Working Group on Youth Advocacy and works in an advisory capacity in the youth justice sector. Kate is working closely with the Law Society, the Criminal Bar Association and the Inns of Court College of Advocacy to ensure lawyers have the specialist skills and expertise to represent children.

Kate was Highly Commended in Every Child Protected Against Trafficking (ECPAT) UK's 'Children's Champion Awards' for her commitment to supporting child victims of trafficking. Kate is the former Director of the Youth Justice Legal Centre (YJLC) at Just for Kids Law. Kate has extensive knowledge of children’s rights law and works as a SEND mediator. 

Ollie Persey, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Ollie has a broad claimant-focused public law and human rights practice. Ollie is ranked by the Legal 500 2023 as a Tier 1 Rising Star in Administrative and Human Rights Law, Community Care and Court of Protection and Education Law. His community care practice spans age assessments, asylum support, welfare benefits, and health and social care. He specialises in representing children and Deaf people, drawing upon his expertise in education law and his knowledge of British Sign Language (‘BSL’). He is a co-convener of Garden Court’s Community Care Team and acts in complex and urgent cases as sole counsel and led junior.