Appropriate Adults Online Workshop: How to address your policy and process as per the HMIP Inspection Process
Date: Tuesday 15th September 2026 | Time: 2pm-4:30pm
Cost: £120 | £60 YJLC Members
HMIP Youth justice inspections now require YJS to present evidence of appropriate adult (AA) policy and process in advance of IYJS inspection.
Youth Justice Services will need to demonstrate not only that arrangements are in place, but that they are effective, actively monitored and responsive to children’s needs.
This interactive YJLC workshop co-delivered by YJLC and the National Appropriate Adult Network, is designed to help Youth Justice Services strengthen their practice, oversight and assurance around appropriate adults at the police station — and prepare for the expectations of inspection.
The session will explore:
- Statutory requirements under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act and Crime and Disorder Act, including the role of appropriate adult and the YJS statutory duty to ensure provision for children.
- National Standards for the development of appropriate adult schemes in England and Wales, and where they sit in the national standards for youth justice.
- Different models of AA provision, and how services can demonstrate that children consistently receive this support when needed.
- Ensuring quality, including initial training, professional development, assessing quality and addressing concerns.
- Supporting family members to act as AAs, by sharing knowledge and awareness on supporting children in police detention and interviews.
This expert facilitated, interactive workshop will help services ask the important questions: Is our AA provision fit for purpose? Are children getting the support they need from our AAs? What other models exist? How are we monitoring our AA provision? Are parents and carers able to access information to act as AA? Can we demonstrate quality to HMIP?
Facilitators:
Chris Bath – Chris is chief executive of the National Appropriate Adult Network (NAAN), which provides the national centre of expertise on the appropriate adult (AA) role. The charity has around 100 member organisations from the voluntary, private and public sectors – from AA providers to police forces. His work includes supporting policymakers, commissioners, practitioners, and the public in various ways, including by developing standards, training, research, policy and guidance. Chris is a member of the Home Office’s PACE Strategy Board, a Fellow of the international Access to Justice Knowledge Hub, co-founder of the British Society of Criminology’s Vulnerability Research Network, and a trustee of the Alliance for Youth Justice.
Shauneen Lambe – Shauneen Lambe is a barrister in England and Wales and an attorney in the USA. She is former joint chief executive officer of Just for Kids Law (2005-2018) and co-founder of Impact - Law for Social Justice, a consultancy that supports those considering using the law for social change. Prior to working in the UK, Shauneen worked at the Louisiana Crisis Assistance Center representing those facing the death penalty and helped Clive Stafford Smith set up his NGO - Reprieve. For her work, Shauneen has been awarded an Eisenhower Fellowship, and Ashoka Fellowship, a Shackleton Fellowship, and a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader