Writing Effective Pre-Sentence Reports – A practical workshop for Youth Justice Services
Date: Monday 22nd June 2026
Time: 2pm – 4.30pm
Cost: £120 | £60 for YJLC Members
Contact [email protected] for your members' discount code or membership information
Pre-Sentence Reports (PSRs) play a critical role in helping courts make fair, informed decisions about children. This interactive online workshop is designed to strengthen your confidence and skills in preparing high-quality PSRs that are clear, persuasive, and grounded in both law and best practice.
Bringing together legal and practice expertise, the session will give you a comprehensive understanding of what the court needs—and how to deliver it effectively.
A specialist youth justice lawyer will cover:
- The core legal principles courts must apply when sentencing children—and how to reflect these in your PSRs
- How to navigate and apply the sentencing guidelines in practice
- The impact of guilty pleas on sentencing decisions
- How courts approach cases where a child crosses an age threshold
Alongside this, a Youth Justice Service expert will focus on the practical side of PSR writing, including:
- When a PSR is required and its role in the court process
- The importance of complying with YJB Case Management Guidance
- How to structure and present a clear, analytical and child-focused report
- Practical tips for interviewing children and gathering meaningful information
- Techniques for drafting effective, evidence-based recommendations
Expertly facilitated by YJLC, this highly interactive workshop combines legal insight with real-world practice, offering opportunities to ask questions, share experiences, and learn alongside peers from across the country.
Whether you are new to PSR writing or looking to refine your approach, this session will help you produce reports that are legally robust, child-centred, and influential in achieving better outcomes.
About the Facilitator
The workshop will be facilitated by Senior Youth Justice Lawyer, Ruth McGregor Hamann
Ruth McGregor Hamann is a highly respected specialist youth justice lawyer with a career dedicated to representing and advocating for children. She helped establish Just for Kids Law, was part of a dedicated youth team at top-tier firm Hodge Jones & Allen, and has been a trusted trainer and facilitator with the Youth Justice Legal Centre for many years, where she is also a senior youth justice lawyer. Her extensive frontline experience—from advising children nationwide through the YJLC Advice Line to representing them at police stations and in court—gives her a deep, practical understanding of diversion and out-of-court decision-making. Combined with over a decade of involvement in youth-focused charities and hands-on work with children, Ruth brings exceptional expertise, insight, and credibility to every workshop she leads.