Earlier this year, Leicestershire Cares took part in a powerful and moving event to explore the experiences and challenges that children, young people and families face in the family justice system.
The event was organised by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory, which aims to improve the lives of children, young people and families by putting data and evidence at the heart of the family justice system.
The NFJO brought together practitioners, academics, parents, carers and others working with young people facing challenges - including Leicestershire Cares - inviting everyone to share their thoughts and experiences at a community day.
Our Head of Children and Young People attended with one of the participants on our YES Project, to discuss why it is important that community organisations build meaningful relationships with young people and empower them to take action for themselves.
From the event, the NFJO have created three films which capture the conversations as they took place:
- A call for a compassionate, more humane system. Parents and organisations working with young people discuss how it feels when they encounter the family justice system, and how they could be better listened to and better involved in decisions made about their families’ lives.
- Kinship carers share their experiences of caring for young people and how creative and humane support could make their journeys easier.
- Community based organisations talk about building relationships with young people, and how to listen to and understand the different experiences they bring with them.
You can watch the film of our "community circle" here:
For more information and to watch the other films, visit the NFJO website.
Read more about our work with young people who have experienced the care system and the youth justice system.