LATEST NEWS

In this blog, we speak to Zahbia Yousuf at Maslaha — a grassroots organisation new to AYJ membership. Maslaha work to challenge the root causes of Islamophobia. Zahbia reflects on how the education system fails to meet the needs of racialised young people, the importance of creative, culturally responsive spaces, and why change must be shaped by those most affected.

The AYJ is delighted to welcome five new trustees to our board, appointed at our 2025 Annual General Meeting. They bring a wealth of experience across youth justice, governance, finance, and influencing.

AYJ comment on HMI Prisons’ thematic report Building trust, calls for the closure of YOIs highlighting Secure Children’s Homes provide the best environment for building relationships that support children in custody’s wellbeing and safety and enable them to fulfil their potential.

The AYJ shares our position on the recent Independent Sentencing Review by David Gauke. We ask that the Government now considers how best to protect children from the harms of imprisonment. 

AYJ CEO, Jess Mullen, writes to update our members and partners — reflecting on what we’ve been working on together so far this year and looking ahead to what’s coming up next.

The Alliance for Youth Justice (AYJ), along with 37 other organisations and individuals working in youth justice, have joined forces to condemn the government’s decision to introduce PAVA spray for use against children in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs).

In this blog, Gess Aird, the CEO of Kinetic Youth speaks to the rich history of youth work in the UK and outlines how those methodologies inform the important work Kinetic do with children and young people caught up in the secure estate.

In this blog, Laura Janes, from AYJ member the Youth Practitioners’ Association, asks what it will take to create a well-resourced secure estate that caters to the distinct needs of children and young adults.

The AYJ shares our position after the government recently stated vulnerable girls sentenced to youth custody will no longer be placed in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs).

In this analysis piece, John Drew CBE, AYJ board member and former CEO of the YJB, reflects on the decision to change the age young people transition to the adult estate from 18 to 19.

Our submission to the Justice Select Committee highlights the urgent need to improve conditions in the children’s secure estate, ensure custody is only ever a last resort, and address racial disparities in reoffending rates.