For the first time, the Government of Catalonia will provide duty solicitors to families from the start of administrative child neglect proceedings, not just in the judicial phase. This agreement between the Catalan Government and the Catalan Bar Council addresses a long-standing demand to better protect low-income families. The initiative aims to safeguard rights and bolster child protection.
The Government of Catalonia and the Catalan Bar Council (CICAC) have reached a landmark agreement to extend free legal aid to the administrative phase of child neglect proceedings. Previously, families only accessed a duty solicitor once the case reached the courts, leaving many low-income individuals defenseless during the initial process.
This change introduces a specific new module of duty advocacy managed by the Directorate General for the Prevention and Protection of Children and Adolescents (DGPPIA), formerly the DGAIA. Solicitors will intervene in pre-neglect files and review requests, provided the requirements of the free legal aid law are met. Each action will be paid 100 euros, with a planned investment of 90,000 euros in 2026 through an agreement with the CICAC.
Justice Minister Ramon Espadaler has stressed that this measure “represents a very significant step in guaranteeing the rights of families and children, as it introduces legal support from the very first moment in a particularly delicate procedure.” It also aims to “ensure that no family faces a highly complex and personally impactful administrative process alone, strengthening legal security and the quality of decisions made.”
Meanwhile, Rogeli Montoliu, president of the CICAC, has noted that incorporating duty advocacy corrects “a system anomaly that left families without defense at a key moment in the procedure,” and “strengthens the child protection system by making decisions more solid, more protective of rights, and legally more robust.”
The agreement is part of a broader deal that includes an additional 5.7 million euros annually for four years (2026-2029), totaling 22.8 million to reinforce free legal services. An annual agreement for the 2026 duty roster has also been signed, amounting to 74.2 million euros.
This initiative addresses the complexities of neglect proceedings, which impact vulnerable families and require stronger legal backing from the outset.
