Through training we share knowledge and circulate innovation to ensure improved outcomes and experiences for children in the criminal justice system.
Delivered in-person by expert youth justice lawyers in collaboration with young people with experience of the criminal justice system, our foundation training is an essential course for all lawyers who will be representing children in the youth court and the Crown Court.
The Bar Standards Board requires barristers representing children to have the specialist skills, knowledge and attributes necessary to work effectively with vulnerable children and young people. Our unique training gives you access to unparalleled expertise and the unusual opportunity to get honest feedback directly from young people with relevant experience.
The training will provide you with:
- Practical guidance on how to best represent children in the criminal justice system
- An opportunity to hear from and work with young people who have been through the system
- An understanding of the key topics lawyers representing children in the criminal courts need to be up-to-date with.
Our training helps barristers gain the relevant competencies to enable them to meet their regulatory requirements. Improve your knowledge and skills and join a growing community of the most competent youth justice practitioners.
Lawyers who have undertaken our foundation training and access a minimum of 4 hours of our online seminars annually can apply for the YJLC quality mark. The quality mark can be displayed in professional profiles and email footers. This is a simple way to show clients and colleagues that you have undergone specialist youth justice training.
The YJLC training should be compulsory. It is brilliant and I’d recommend that every pupil/ junior barrister does this training. It can be daunting stepping foot in the youth courts, to represent a vulnerable young person and this training gives you the confidence to represent these people in the best way.
Alexandra Wilson, barrister and founder of Black Women In Law
We deliver training on the following areas :
- How to communicate and engage effectively with children
- Key youth justice principles and an overview of the youth justice system
- Youth-specific criminal law including out of court disposals, bail and remand, jurisdiction issues, adaptations to the trial process
- The importance of the background and needs of the child
- Specific protections for care experienced children and victims of exploitation
- How to identify and address effective participation and fitness to plead issues
- The role of Youth Justice Services
- The sentencing framework relating to children
- Legal duties owed to children by the courts and the state
Training menu
Youth Justice Legal Centre is the centre of excellence in youth justice law. By training and supporting lawyers we ensure better outcomes for children in contact with the criminal justice system.
