The Youth Justice White Paper, ‘Cutting Youth Crime, Changing Young Lives’, has announced the government’s plans for mandatory training for lawyers representing children.
“This represents a significant step change in how the system ensures quality and consistency in youth justice advocacy. Whether a child is detained in a police station, entering their plea in the youth court, or facing trial in the Crown Court, the new system will recognise that representation of children – in any setting – is complex work that requires specific skills and experience.” (3.42)
Garden Court‘s Kate Aubrey-Johnson and Joanne Cecil KC are members of the Expert Advisory Group that has been established to help set the standards of criminal advocacy for children. The group will develop recommendations on specialist training requirements for lawyers representing children. The government will then consider how best to implement the proposed standards, including options to make specialist youth training mandatory.
In 2021, Kate Aubrey-Johnson and Joanne Cecil KC were also appointed by the Lord Chancellor to the Expert Advisory Panel for the Independent Criminal Legal Aid Review which recommended a training and accreditation scheme be developed alongside higher legal aid rates for Youth Court work (the increase in Youth Court fees was introduced in November 2024).
Kate Aubrey-Johnson co-chairs the Ministry of Justice Quality of Advocacy Working Group, appointed by the former Chair of the Youth Justice Board, Charlie Taylor.
Kate Aubrey-Johnson said:
“Children deserve the highest quality legal representation from criminal lawyers who are skilled at communicating with children and understand their vulnerabilities. Introducing mandatory training recognises that children involved in criminal proceedings, particularly those with care experience, need lawyers with specialist knowledge, skills and understanding of youth justice and child development. Ensuring children are treated fairly and their needs are understood will achieve better outcomes for children and victims.”
Joanne Cecil KC said:
“This is a vital step towards improving outcomes for children in the criminal justice system. The Government must move swiftly to make good on this commitment, and do so in close collaboration with practitioners, specialists, and those on the front-line of youth justice work.”
What the White Paper says:
- To address long-standing concerns around inconsistent practice and variable legal standards, this government is working with the legal sector to develop a new model for specialist training requirements for lawyers representing children. We have commissioned an Expert Advisory Group, bringing together representatives from the different legal professions, to help set the standards of criminal advocacy for children. (3.40)
- The Advisory Group will deliver its recommendations by summer 2026 and the government will then consider how best to implement the proposed standards, including options to make specialist youth training mandatory. (3.41)
Read the White Paper: Cutting Youth Crime. Changing Young Lives. The youth justice system reform and delivery plan
- Kate Aubrey-Johnson is a nationally recognised expert in youth justice and children’s rights. Whilst on sabbatical, Kate worked at Just for Kids Law where she set up Youth Justice Legal Centre. She is co-author Kate of the leading textbook Youth Justice Law and Practice (LAG, 2019) and regularly writes and trains on youth justice and children’s rights. She was part of an expert group advising the ICCA on their Advocacy for Children in Conflict with the Law course. She co-wrote ‘Dare to Care’ – a guide for criminal lawyers representing care experienced young people and is co-founder of ‘Lawyers Who Care’, a mentoring programme for care experienced aspirational lawyers.
- Joanne Cecil KC is a leading practitioner in children’s rights and youth justice and sits on the Ministry of Justice’s Working Group on Youth Advocacy. Joanne is a lead facilitator for the national Advocacy and the Vulnerable programme. Joanne has been instructed in significant appellate cases concerning the fair treatment of children and vulnerable defendants in the criminal courts, including cases which have contributed to shaping judicial practice and procedure.
If you would like to instruct or contact Kate, please email gavinj@gclaw.co.uk or Joanne, please email: colinc@gclaw.co.uk
