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Supporting children through the justice system

Involvement in the justice system can be a difficult and upsetting experience for children and young people.

We work to influence legislation and measures in the justice system to ensure that they are child-centred, and that the rights and wellbeing of children are respected at all times.

We have worked with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and the Scottish Court Service to discuss how their policy and practice can be better for child victims and witnesses. Children and young people who use Children First abuse and trauma recovery services sometimes are victims or witnesses in a court trial. We use some of their experiences of the justice system as (anonymous) case study examples when we meet with justice organisations, to explain what could be done better.

We were successful in arguing for a number of new procedures to be introduced through the Victims and Witnesses (Scotland) Act that will go some way to ensuring the wellbeing and protection of children in the justice system. But much more can and should be done.

We will continue to work with the necessary agencies to guarantee that the needs of children and young people in the justice system are heard, acknowledged, and acted upon.

 

Consultations and submissions

Children 1st Victims, Witnesses And Justice Reform
(PDF , 318kb )
Children 1St Care And Justice Bill Stage 3 Briefing
(PDF , 303kb )
Human Rights Bill Consultation Response September 2023
Human Rights Bill for Scotland - Scottish Government Consultation
(PDF , 346kb )
Scotland’s First Bairns Hoose Members’ Business Debate
(PDF , 347kb )
Response Victims Witnesses And Justice Reform Bill
Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill September 2023 – Children 1st response to Call for Views
(PDF , 405kb )
Response: Childrens Care And Justice Bill Education Committee
Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill – Education Committee Consultation Response March 2023
(PDF , 258kb )
Victims Awareness Week 2023 Briefing on Bairns Hoose
(PDF , 347kb )
Response to the draft National Bairns' Hoose (Scottish Barnahus) Standards
(PDF , 545kb )
Response to Improving Victims Experiences consultation (July 2023)
(PDF , 319kb )
Briefing on Stage 1 of the Forensic Medical Services Bill (September 2020)
(PDF , 153kb )
Response to the Health Committee June 2020
Letter to the Scottish Parliament Health Committee - Forensic Medical Services (Victims of Sexual Offences) (Scotland) Bill (June 2020)
(PDF , 169kb )
Joint briefing on Stage 1 Children (Scotland) Bill
Joint briefing on the Stage 1 debate of the Children (Scotland) Bill: protecting children’s rights in the civil justice system (May 2020)
(PDF , 188kb )
Forensic Bill response 20 Jan 2020
Response to the Forensic Medical Services (Victims of Sexual Offences) (Scotland) Bill (January 2020)
(PDF , 234kb )
Response to Children (Scotland) Bill (November 2019)
(PDF , 335kb )
Written Evidence Vulnerable Witnesses (Criminal Evidence) Bill Submission
(PDF , 260kb )
Response to the Age of Criminal Responsibility Bill consultation (July 2018)
(DOCX , 131kb )
Pre-Recording Evidence of Child and Vulnerable Witnesses
Scottish Government Consultation Response (September 2017)
(PDF , 286kb )
Briefing for Stage 3 debate on Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill (December 2015)
(PDF , 147kb )
Response to the Draft Victims' Rights (Scotland) Regulations (November 2015)
(PDF , 152kb )
Justice for Children evidence for Evidence and Procedure Review (October 2015)
(PDF , 110kb )
Children 1st, NSPCC and VSS briefing on child witnesses for SNP Conference (October 2015)
(PDF , 210kb )
Standards of Service for Victims and Witnesses - consultation response
(PDF , 236kb )
Trauma-Free Justice, Care and Protection for Scotland's Children
(PDF , 774kb )

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Registered Scottish Charity number: SC 016092. Children First | © 2025
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