Towards Child-Centred Justice as a System Level Paradigm Shift

Summary: 

Child-centred justice represents a paradigm shift: moving beyond systems that merely adapt procedures for children, towards systems fundamentally designed around children's rights, developmental needs and lived experiences.

In this webinar, speakers will define child-centred justice as a system-level approach and explore its key features, including its solution-oriented framework, emphasis on multi-agency coordination, and commitment to meaningful child participation.

Drawing on Scotland's Whole System Approach as a practice-informed case study, the webinar will demonstrate how child-centred justice principles can be operationalised across policing, prosecution, care and custody; offering transferable lessons for jurisdictions seeking to translate children's rights into justice practice.

Bios: 

Anne-Laure Baulieu

Anne-Laure Baulieu works within the Co-operation Unit of the Children’s Rights Division at the Council of Europe. She is a lawyer and is currently pursuing PhD research on children associated with designated terrorist groups under international law. She has over 17 years of experience in children’s rights and child-friendly justice across Europe, Asia/the Middle East, and Africa.

Cédric Foussard

Cédric Foussard is Founder and President of the International Centre for Justice Alliance, a non-profit international association dedicated to advancing people-centred, inclusive and effective justice systems worldwide through collaboration, innovation and strategic dialogue. He is an international expert and Visiting Professor at Manchester Metropolitan University on children's justice, and Expert Advisor at the Children and Young People's Centre for Justice and Inspiring Children's Futures at the University of Strathclyde, where he advises the Global Working Group on SDG16+ Justice for Children. With nearly two decades of leadership in the field of child justice—first directing the International Juvenile Justice Observatory in Brussels, and subsequently founding and leading the Global Initiative on Justice With Children and its World Congresses—Cédric has been instrumental in shaping global discourse and policies surrounding children's rights, particularly for children in contact with justice systems.

Professor Fiona Dyer

As Director of the Children and Young People's Centre for Justice (CYCJ), Fiona leads the centre towards its ambition of ensuring that Scotland’s approach to children and young people in conflict with the law is rights-respecting, contributing to better outcomes for children, young people and communities. This involves supporting professionals from all disciplines who work with children and young people on the cusp of or involved in offending by promoting best practice based on up-to-date evidence and research.

Prior to and since joining CYCJ in 2013, Fiona has been committed to ensuring the rights of children in conflict with the law are upheld. Her aim is to provide leadership across all sectors where children are involved to ensure children are treated as children. Her work to date includes the Expert Group on Preventing Sexual Offending Involving Children and Young People, Expert Review on Mental Health and Young Offenders, Age of Criminal Responsibility, Independent Group to review Antisocial Behaviour, Restorative Justice, Children’s Rights and supporting the work of the Youth Justice Improvement Board. Fiona currently chairs the Age of Criminal Responsibility Data and Research Group, Police Custody and Children’s Rights Group.

Before joining CYCJ Fiona was seconded to the Scottish Government youth justice team for three years as a professional social work advisor to lead on the Scottish Government policy of the Whole System Approach, which was implemented across Scotland. Prior to this, she worked for ten years as a social worker and social work manager within the fields of youth and criminal justice within rural and urban areas of Scotland. Fiona is a member of Social Work Scotland.

Professor Jennifer Davidson

Professor Jennifer Davidson is the Executive Director of the award-winning Institute for Inspiring Children’s Futures at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, which works internationally to reveal and help resolve the structural barriers to children in adversity reaching their potential. Jennifer seeks to drive meaningful and sustainable change with and for children, supporting the implementation of effective government policy to reach children’s day-to-day lives. Drawing on children’s human rights and the delivery of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, she works closely with governments and international agencies, most recently as lead of the Global Working Group on SDG 16 Justice for Children, and as a member of the high-ambition multi-sectoral Justice Action Coalition. She co-founded the Observatory of Children’s Rights in Scotland and previously led a series of international projects to support the delivery of the UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children in her role as founding Director of CELCIS (Centre for Excellence on Children’s Care and Protection). Jennifer was awarded the honour of OBE for services to the care and protection of children in Scotland and abroad.

Angela C. Vigil

Biography: Angela Vigil is the Firm’s Partner and Executive Director of the Pro Bono Practice. Prior to joining the Firm, Angela worked for the Children and Family Justice Center, Bluhm Legal Clinic of the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law as the Director of Children’s Law Pro Bono Projects, where she led strategic litigation and advocacy on behalf of children. She also worked as an attorney, director and clinical teacher at Northwestern Law School Legal Clinic where she founded and directed volunteer lawyer practice in the children's law pro bono practice in the neighborhood branch office.

Practice Focus: Angela focuses her practice on children's law, civil rights and human rights. An experienced trial lawyer, she frequently lectures at various national and international conferences on issues related to professional responsibility, children's law, juvenile justice practice, interviewing and counseling clients, legal aid and social justice. She also presents on pro bono management in law firms and in legal service organizations, as well as on teaming with corporate clients through pro bono service.

Nicole Drew

Nicole is a Policy Analyst in the OECD Public Governance Directorate (GOV), where she leads work on youth empowerment and intergenerational justice across OECD member and partner countries. She also provides policy analysis and advice on public governance in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), with a focus on strengthening institutions, the rule of law, and regional cooperation through policy dialogue, peer learning, and capacity-building initiatives.

Prior to joining the OECD, Nicole led law and social policy reform efforts in Australia, focusing on youth justice, child protection, and family and domestic violence. She played a key role in advancing legislative and policy reforms within the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General, including securing significant funding to improve court services and strengthen legal frameworks.

She is passionate about evidence-based policymaking, systems thinking, and improving public data capabilities to drive more effective and accountable governance.

Important Info:

This webinar will be recorded and shared on the CYCJ website. Cameras and mics will be switched off to all attendees, only the speakers and organisers of the event will have their cameras on. If you have any questions throughout the webinar you will be able to add them into the chat and the speakers will try to answer as many as possible at the end.

All registered attendees will be contacted with team's link 24 hours before each session. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact cycj@strath.ac.uk.

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