This inter-agency project – led by Youth Justice NSW, Speech Pathology Australia, Legal Aid NSW, Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT, the Advocate for Children and Young People, and the Children’s Court of NSW – explores ways to better communicate information to young people in and around the processes surrounding a court case. The scope includes written correspondence to young people before and after the court case, as well as other interactions and supports for them, or court and legal staff. Whether static, printed resources or digital solutions, the focus is on upholding principles of procedural justice and inclusion, alongside constraints of the related legislation. Design teams develop a concept addressing issues related to a current specific form or resource, and a digital concept addressing a specific or general issue related to young people appearing in the children’s court.
Key stakeholders and participants include the young people involved in the court process and their families, and people who work in the children’s court and related justice systems. The unit also considers how First Nations young people are significantly over-represented in the criminal justice system. With young people required to receive and respond to information, issues affecting their comprehension and ability to engage in these processes, are common. These include language issues, learning disabilities, trauma and mental health issues, hearing issues and more. Moreover, procedural justice – a participant’s perceptions of neutrality, respect, fairness, and the opportunity to have a voice and be heard in the justice process – is also crucial for the communication and comprehension of information.
