Understanding and Responding to Child Criminal Exploitation
Date: Monday 11th May 2026
Time: 2pm - 4.30pm
Cost: £120 | £60 for YJLC Members (Contact [email protected] for your members' discount code or membership information).
Child criminal exploitation (CCE) presents some of the most complex and challenging cases in youth justice today. Driven by coercion, manipulation and vulnerability, CCE blurs the lines between offending and victimisation — demanding responses that are legally sound, trauma‑informed and protective of children’s rights.
This interactive online workshop from YJLC is designed specifically for YJS practitioners, providing you with the insight, skills and confidence to identify and respond effectively to CCE.
You will explore:
- The legal framework underpinning CCE, including definitions, key statutory duties, and prosecutorial considerations
- How exploitation differs from typical youth offending and why this matters for assessment, diversion and decision‑making
- Safeguarding law and practice, including how to balance protection with accountability
- Common pitfalls and real‑world scenarios to help you apply learning directly to your work
Through case examples, group discussion and Q&A, you’ll gain actionable tools to strengthen your practice and support better outcomes for children caught up in exploitation. Whether you’re in prevention, diversion, bail/support work or court teams, this workshop will help you navigate CCE with clarity and confidence.
About the facilitator - Shauneen Lambe
The workshops will be facilitated by Shauneen Lambe, barrister, co-founder of Just for Kids Law, Director of the Youth Justice Legal Centre, and Coordinator of the UK-wide Child Law Network. Shauneen is recognised as a leading expert in children’s law, having successfully changed the law on four occasions to improve children’s lives. She is also co-author of Youth Justice Law and Practice.