youth justice legal centre
London
The goal of YJLC to be a centre of excellence on youth justice law came at a
time when very few resources existed for professionals and there was no
requirement that lawyers representing children in the criminal justice have any
kind of specialist training. The legal landscape has progressed in a short time,
in no small part due to the work of YJLC. YJLC works in collaboration with civil
society, legal bodies and educational entities to ensure that the capacity and
knowledge of those working with children in the criminal justice system is
constantly evolving and improving. It was always clear to us that children in
the criminal justice system should be represented by specialists. The aim in
creating YJLC was to fundamentally improve the way these children are
represented. YJLC has exceeded those original dreams and continues to grow,
support and celebrate this important community of people providing a key,
frontline role in society. Shauneen Lambe, Co-Founder Just for Kids Law and
Youth Justice Legal Centre Taking a global approach, evolving legal
understanding domestically, the need for YJLC continues to be strong having
become an established and respected sector leader. Ensuring that children who do
end up in the criminal justice system get the best outcomes both legally and for
their futures. YJLC, like all of the strands of work in Just for Kids Law,
developed out of what the young people told us they needed. Sometimes the
stories they told us of their experiences were funny, sometimes they made us
furious but mostly we heard stories of a communication gaps and gaps in social
understanding. To the young people we have worked with over the years, thank
you, for inspiring, motivating and making even the driest parts of the work more
enjoyable. If it wasn’t for you, for us, it wouldn’t be worth doing.
