Just for Kids Law

Last updated
Just for Kids Law
AbbreviationJfKL
Formation2006
FounderAika Stephenson and Shauneen Lambe
Type Non-governmental organisation
Legal status Registered charity
Location
ServicesYouth advocacy, legal advice, youth opportunities support.
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Carolyn Regan
Chief Executive Officer
Louisa McGeehan
Subsidiaries Children's Rights Alliance for England
Website www.justforkidslaw.org

Just for Kids Law is a London-based charity which provides advocacy, legal and youth opportunities services to children and young people, as well as campaigning for wider reform to benefit children and young people living in the United Kingdom. [1] Since its foundation in 2006 by youth justice lawyers Aika Stephenson and Shauneen Lambe, [2] the organisation has received particular renown for its work in strategic litigation, [3] [4] securing significant changes to the law on issues such as the treatment of 17-year-olds in police custody, [5] the eligibility of young migrants for student finance, [6] the law of joint enterprise, [7] and the disclosure of youth cautions and reprimands on DBS certificates. [8] The organisation is also known for its approach to youth advocacy support, [9] with an independent evaluation by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations Charities Evaluation Service noting the "numerous positive benefits" of the charity's casework model. [10]

2015 saw the charity increase its policy and human rights monitoring capacity through a merger with the Children's Rights Alliance for England, [11] while the organisation also set up the Youth Justice Legal Centre project to increase standards in the youth justice sector. [12] In 2017, Just for Kids Law became the first UK charity to be awarded with a criminal legal aid contract. [13] In 2018, the charity was named Organisation of the Year at the Howard League for Penal Reform Community Awards. [14]

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References

  1. ↑ "Just For Kids Law | About us" . Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  2. ↑ "Just For Kids Law | Our Story" . Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  3. ↑ Vanhala, Lisa; Lambe, Shauneen; Knowles, Rachel (2018). "'Let Us Learn': Legal Mobilization for the Rights of Young Migrants to Access Student Loans in the UK". Journal of Human Rights Practice. 10 (3): 439–460. doi:10.1093/jhuman/huy030.
  4. ↑ "Just For Kids Law Releases Animation Series Explaining Strategic Litigation". OHRH. 2018-07-03. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  5. ↑ Bowcott, Owen; correspondent, legal affairs (2013-04-25). "Police must treat 17-year-olds in custody as children, court rules". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  6. ↑ correspondent, Owen Bowcott Legal affairs (2015-07-29). "School-leaver overturns immigration-related blanket ban on student loan". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  7. ↑ Davidson, Corker Binning-Alex. "Case Comment: R v Jogee; Ruddock v The Queen (Jamaica) [2016] UKSC 8 | Lexology". www.lexology.com. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  8. ↑ "Minor convictions from youth should stay secret, Supreme Court rules". The Independent. 2019-01-30. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  9. ↑ "Brigadier's daughter inspired by death row to improve lives". Evening Standard. 2013-06-27. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  10. ↑ Menzies, Sarah; Farrow, Alex (2018). An evaluation of Just for Kids Law's case work with young people delivered through the Advocacy Year programme (PDF). London: NCVO Charities Evaluation Service. pp. iii.
  11. ↑ "The Children's Rights Alliance for England merges into Just for Kids Law - CRAE". Children's Rights Alliance for England. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  12. ↑ "Inexperienced lawyers have no place in the youth courts, says Lady Hale | Solicitors Journal". solicitorsjournal.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  13. ↑ "Legal Aid Practitioners Group announces winners of its 2018 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards" (PDF).
  14. ↑ "The Howard League | 2018 Community Awards Winners". The Howard League. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
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