Defending a juvenile — what parents need to know

If your child has been arrested or invited to a voluntary police interview, the system that applies to them is different from the adult system in important ways — and your role as a parent is central.

What counts as a juvenile?

In England and Wales, the age of criminal responsibility is 10. Anyone aged 10–17 is dealt with in the youth justice system rather than the adult one. 18-year-olds are adults but courts still take youth and maturity into account.

At the police station

Your child has the same three statutory rights as an adult (independent legal advice, someone informed, access to the PACE codes). They have one additional crucial right: an appropriate adult must be present.

The appropriate adult can be a parent, guardian, family member or — failing that — a member of the local Youth Offending Team. The appropriate adult is not a substitute for a solicitor. Your child should still have legal representation, and that representation is free.

Voluntary interviews

Police increasingly invite young people to "voluntary" interviews — not arrested but asked to attend. Don't be misled by the word "voluntary": everything said in a voluntary interview can be used in court.

A young person should never attend a voluntary interview without:

• An appropriate adult
• A solicitor

Both can be arranged free of charge at the police station.

The Youth Court

If your child is charged, the case will go to the Youth Court — a specialist Magistrates' Court that sits in private. The public are not admitted. The atmosphere is intended to be less formal and intimidating.

Reporting restrictions apply automatically: the press cannot name your child or publish details that would identify them.

Out-of-court disposals

A great deal of effort goes into keeping young people out of the formal court system. Possible alternatives include:

• No further action — case is dropped
• Community resolution — informal agreement, no record
• Youth caution — formal caution, on record but not a conviction
• Youth conditional caution — caution plus conditions (e.g. attend a course)
• Referral order — youth's first court conviction; requires a Youth Offender Contract

Lucy works closely with Norfolk's Youth Offending Team to push for the lightest-touch appropriate disposal.

Serious cases

Very serious offences (e.g. homicide, certain firearms or sexual offences) can be tried in the Crown Court even where the defendant is under 18. The procedure is adapted — frequent breaks, plain-English explanations, special-measures provisions — but the sentencing powers are wider.

What you can do as a parent

• Stay calm. Your child needs you to be a stable presence.
• Get specialist representation early — youth cases have different procedures and different sentencing options. Not every solicitor knows the youth system well.
• Engage with the Youth Offending Team if they get involved.
• Talk to the school — early disclosure is often better than waiting for the school to find out from elsewhere.

Lucy has represented young people in Norfolk for over two decades. If your child has been arrested or invited to interview, call now — there is rarely a reason to wait until tomorrow.