Legal Aid Agency to take on child advocacy role under new reform
Justice minister unveils plans to boost awareness of children’s rights and strengthen access to justice
The Office of the Advocate for Children will be transferred under the mandate of the Legal Aid Agency, the Justice Minister Jonathan Attard said on Friday.
The agency will also embark on a collaborative project with the Commissioner for Children to raise awareness of children’s rights in schools and communities.
Attard was speaking at the signing of the first collective agreement for the agency, a “milestone” just days after the presentation of the 2026 Budget in which a "record amount of funds were allocated for the justice sector".
In recent years the Legal Aid Agency has grown substantially and now provides extensive service through more than 50 lawyers across several areas of specialisation including civil disputes, criminal litigation, and services for crime victims.
A legal aid management system was introduced to streamline the agency’s services.
Over the past year, the agency responded to 2,820 requests for information and provided legal assistance in 215 civil cases, over 1,400 criminal cases, and more than 300 cases supporting victims of crime.
“True justice begins with a service that listens, understands, and acts. This collective agreement is a concrete expression of that mission,” Attard said.