Men urged to use legal aid for family matters

Community Legal Services (CLS) is reporting an increase in the number of men seeking legal access to their children, but officials say many still fail to take advantage of the free legal support available to them.

Director’s Secretary and Paralegal at CLS, Sheridan Brome, said that while women have traditionally accounted for the majority of applicants in family law matters, more men are now applying to the court for guardianship and access, a shift she said reflects changing attitudes.

“The matters that are more prevalent include maintenance of children, custody is there as well, and a lot of assignments now are for guardianship,” Brome told Barbados TODAY.

“It wasn’t so in the past, but now we are seeing men coming forward and trying to get access to their children.”

However, she noted that most men still go to court unrepresented, while women are more likely to seek legal help.

“I would advise the men to come forward. Legal aid is there for women, yes, but men can get it too,” Brome said.

“Many [men] believe the law favours women, but that’s not the case, they just need to apply. You can get legal aid for maintenance as well.”

CLS provides free legal services in a range of areas, including all matters involving minors, serious criminal offences such as rape and murder, and family law cases, including maintenance and property settlements.

Colleen Odle, a representative of the agency, shared that applicants must meet certain financial criteria.

“There’s no cost to the applicant. The government covers the cost,” she said. “But you must qualify for legal aid, and we weigh your expenses against your income to see if you can afford to hire an attorney on your own.”

Chairman of the CLS, Justice Francis Belle, said the emotional nature of some matters, particularly guardianship, makes legal representation even more important.

“Guardianship is difficult because it’s emotional. You’re dealing with the whole question of finding persons who will do the work of parents or close relations, and those issues are always tough,” he said.

“How smoothly it goes depends on the people involved. But I’m happy to say it’s a service we can provide, and hopefully it’s one that will flourish so we can do even more.”

Justice Belle added that legal aid remains a vital part of the justice system and something he has personally supported throughout his legal career.

“I think the more that we can do as a community, we should try to do—as long as it is supported by the necessary funds and infrastructure—to help people who cannot afford legal services on their own,” he said. (SM)