The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has announced proposals to ensure advocates appearing in the Youth Court or proceedings involving youths are specialists, able to demonstrate specialist knowledge of youth justice law as well as the ability to engage and communicate with children.
Details
The Bar regulator has announced plans to improve advocacy for children in the Youth Court. This follows research commissioned by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and CILEx Regulation last year which found evidence of poor advocacy in the Youth Courts with very grave consequences for children and young people. It found that many advocates lacked knowledge of youth justice law, procedures and provisions, as well as struggling to communicate well with young defendants and witnesses.
“..the BSB’s aim is to help establish advocacy involving youths and within the Youth Court as an area of specialism so that young people always receive representation of an appropriate standard by competent advocates.”
The BSB recognise that youth advocacy is a specialist area that justifies a regulatory response.
Areas identified for development include:
- Setting out the competences that advocates appearing in the Youth Court or proceedings involving youths will be expected to demonstrate
- Providing guidance and advice as to how those competences can be satisfied
- Encouraging examples of good practice in youth advocacy to be brought to their attention so that they can be shared across the professions
- Looking at ways in which poor performance can be identified.
- Raising the status of youth advocacy work.
The Youth Proceedings Advocacy Review: Final Report (YPAR Report) is here.
The Youth Proceedings Advocacy Review: BSB Response is here.
BSB Press release is here.
Commentary
The Youth Justice Legal Centre welcomes the recognition by the Bar regulator that children in the criminal justice system should be represented by barristers who have specialist skills, expertise and training.