Mel Stooks on safeguarding children in the criminal justice system
Head of Youth Crime, Mel Stooks, featured as a speaker in the Youth Justice Legal Centre's (YJLC) training video ‘Safeguarding First: Children and the Criminal Legal System’. The video highlights the importance of prioritising child welfare at every stage of the criminal justice process.
The Working Together to Safeguard Children Statutory Guidance
Mel draws attention to the significance of ‘The Working Together to Safeguard Children’ statutory guidance which applies to all professionals working with children in the youth justice system. It imposes a clear legal duty on agencies to protect children’s welfare and mental health, and prevent harm. Alongside Sarah Hemingway of Garden Court Chambers and Aika Stephenson, a Youth Justice Lawyer, Mel emphasises how safeguarding children is not supplementary to effective legal advocacy; it is central to it. Understanding a child’s trauma, neurodiversity, or exploitation history shapes how lawyers should approach their defence. The video features practical examples from serious cases where early intervention, and specialist input could have changed outcomes.
The training underscores that safeguarding children goes beyond legal requirements and is essential to child-focused advocacy. Legal professionals must challenge unlawful detention, insist on appropriate adult presence, and advocate for non-criminal responses when suitable.
A child-first approach
This child-first approach protects children’s rights and reduces the risk of long-term harm caused by unnecessary or traumatic contact with the justice system. Professionals should place the child’s welfare first. This involves identifying risk and responding with care and appropriate legal protections.
Safeguarding children forms the foundation to effective justice. It centres the child’s needs and ensures they are heard and supported throughout their interactions with the criminal justice system.
Watch the full video below.