Our quarterly Members’ Meeting featured a panel on the harms posed to children by stop and search, with an emphasis on strip searching. Panellists were Yolanda Lear, Project Officer at Hackney Account; Dr Ian Joseph, Research Associate at the Open University; and Chris Bath, Chief Executive at the National Appropriate Adult Network.

AYJ comment on HM Inspectorate of Prisons progress report on HMYOI Wetherby and the Keppel unit. The report has highlighted a lack of improvement and continued uncertainty about Keppel’s role

AYJ has responded to the Children’s Rights Alliance for England’s (CRAE) call for evidence on the UK’s adherence to its obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

Comment from AYJ Interim Chief Executive Saqib Deshmukh following the publication of HMIP’s thematic review of outcomes for girls in custody.

The AYJ hosted a meeting between the Ministry of Justice and AYJ members and the Young Advocates, to help the Ministry of Justice advise Ministers about the recommendations in the Independent Care Review.

Find out what we’ve been up to in the month of July!

The AYJ has signed a joint letter calling on Greater Manchester Police, Manchester City Council, and the Independent Advisory Group to retract a discriminatory letter sent to a number of individuals, including children, banning them from entry to the Caribbean Carnival of Manchester due to perceived ‘gang’ affiliations.

Today, AYJ publishes the third of three policy briefings for our ‘Impact of COVID-19 on Youth Justice’ research project, examining the significant challenges for the children’s secure estate that lie ahead in the wake of the pandemic.

Alongside Agenda, the AYJ has concluded the ‘Young Women’s Justice Project’ with a parliamentary event to explore the policy implications of the project’s findings.

In continuation with our research project, conducted collaboratively with the Manchester Centre for Youth Studies at MMU and funded by UK Research and Innovation, we hosted a parliamentary event exploring how to ensure that the criminalisation of children is a last resort post-pandemic.

Find out what we've been up to in the month of May!

The AYJ is delighted to announce the appointment of Saqib Deshmukh, who will join us as our Interim CEO from July 2022 for 12-months.

Comment from AYJ Chief Executive Pippa Goodfellow following HMI Prisons latest inspection report examining children’s experiences in Werrington Young Offender Institution (YOI).

AYJ comments on the government announcement of a £300 million funding package for youth justice over the next 3 years, including the ‘Turnaround’ scheme.

On Wednesday 27th April 2022, the AYJ with the Manchester Centre for Youth Studies hosted a hybrid event at Manchester Metropolitan University, to examine the findings of our joint research project exploring the impact of COVID-19 on the youth justice system.

Find out what we've been up to in the month of April!

Today, AYJ publishes the second of three policy briefings for our ‘Impact of COVID-19 on Youth Justice’ research project, which considers key challenges for the youth justice system that have been brought about, aggravated or accentuated by the pandemic, and demonstrates how the youth justice system is at a critical juncture.

The Young Advocates were recently invited to provide insight to press regulator IMPRESS in a consultation workshop to feed into IMPRESS’ proposed changes to their Standards Code and Guidance, ensuring that, in the context of youth justice, the code works to avoid damaging and unjust press coverage of children.

AYJ have joined a coalition of children’s charities led by AYJ member, Just for Kids Law, and have have sent a letter to the Education Secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, calling for the Statutory Guidance on Exclusions and Guidance on Behaviour to better protect vulnerable children facing school exclusion from child criminal exploitation (CCE).

Find out what we've been up to in the month of March!