Online Sexual Offending by Children – Law & Practice
Half-day online bespoke workshop for professionals working with or representing children in the criminal legal system.
Date: Thursday 27th August 2026
Time: 2pm-4.30pm
Cost: £120 | £60 YJLC Members (contact [email protected] for your members' discount code or membership information).
Online sexual offending presents some of the most complex and fast-evolving challenges in youth justice. From sexting and image-sharing to AI-generated content and activity on the Dark Web, practitioners are increasingly required to navigate serious offences, safeguarding concerns, and rapidly changing legislation — all while keeping a child-first approach at the centre.
This interactive online workshop from YJLC is designed to equip Youth Justice Services (YJS) practitioners with the legal knowledge, practical tools and confidence to respond effectively to these cases.
You will explore:
- The key offences committed by children online, including forthcoming changes under the Crime and Policing Bill
- Core themes shaping practice, including grooming, sexting, AI and deepfakes, pornography, and the Dark Web
- How to approach Out of Court Resolutions (OoCRs), including applying the Child Gravity Matrix and best practice in cases involving “self-generated indecent imagery”
- Sentencing outcomes and Notification Requirements, and the long-term implications for children
Grounded in the latest legal guidance and real-world scenarios, this session will help you understand the fine line between harmful behaviour and developmentally typical activity, and support you to make proportionate, defensible, and child-first decisions.
With opportunities for discussion, shared learning and practical application, this workshop will strengthen your ability to challenge inappropriate criminalisation, advocate effectively, and achieve better outcomes for children in an increasingly digital world.
About the facilitator: Robbie Eyles
Robbie is a specialist youth justice solicitor. He primarily works on YJLC's advice line, providing free, specialist legal advice and support to children, carers, and practitioners on issues relating to youth justice law and practice. Robbie also regularly trains youth justice services, solicitors, barristers and other professionals on youth justice law, has written YJLC's legal guides and contributed to the upcoming edition of the book Youth Justice Law and Practice.
Alongside his YJLC work, Robbie practices as a solicitor at Just for Kids Law part-time, where he has worked since March 2020, representing children and young people in criminal proceedings. He is passionate about the impact a lawyer can have on a young person's life and seeks to work in a trauma-informed and strengths-based manner.
Robbie has particular expertise in child criminal exploitation and the rights of undocumented migrant children; he has published two academic articles on the latter subject in peer-reviewed journals.