In this blog, we reflect on this year’s AYJ AGM and members’ meeting, which brought together members and experts to ask: how far have we come in reimagining youth justice? We share key takeaways from the event — including insights from our panel of speakers — and look ahead to the work still to be done.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The AYJ shares our positions on the essential elements of a strategic approach to the children’s secure estate, gathered with members and fed into the development of the YCS Youth Custody Strategy.

AYJ comment on HMI Prisons’ reports Children in Custody 2023-24 and Feltham A YOI Independent Review of Progress

AYJ CEO Jess Mullen reflects on the importance of this year’s Black History Month theme ‘Reclaiming Narratives’ for Black and racially minoritised children in, or at risk of involvement in, the youth justice system

Longford prize winners Joint Enterprise Not Guilty by Association (JENGbA) share a quest blog as a new AYJ member, about the harms of joint enterprise and the change needed

As part of our project exploring the experiences of young people transitioning into adulthood whilst in the justice system, the AYJ team visited the Youth to Adult Hub in Newham, London, to learn about the pilot approach to probation

For our project exploring the experiences of young people transitioning into adulthood while in the justice system, we spoke to Sammy, founder of Wipers Youth CIC, about the organisation’s critical work with children and young people

Saqib Deshmukh reflects on all that he’s learned and enjoyed this year as he departs from his role as AYJ’s Interim CEO.

AYJ Policy Manager Millie Harris reflects on the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)’s report on the UK’s performance on it’s international obligations on children’s rights, which calls out the Government for a lack of progress on youth justice.

We speak with Agnes Wootton, Re-Frame Service Manager at With You, about the importance of the programme for vulnerable children, and the research behind it.

The AYJ’s Interim CEO Saqib Deshmukh reflects on the findings of Baroness Casey’s independent review into the standards of behaviour and internal culture of the Metropolitan Police Service.

As part of the AYJ’s project in which we work to understand the experiences of children transitioning into the adult justice system, we speak with Leroy Logan MBE about the significance of research, discussion and policy focus in this area.

We speak with Raymond Lyons - IFJ member, nurse, Registered and Court Appointed Intermediary - about why children have so many obstacles to communication and equity throughout their contact with the Youth Justice System.

Saqib Deshmukh shares his thoughts on the values underpinning our new Strategy: Reimagining justice for children and young people

The AYJ speaks with Charlie Sutton, co-ordinator and social researcher for new research on ‘context sensitive preventative interventions’ within youth justice.