We listen. We care. We love.
Let's Talk is a stop and search project in partnership with One Community Scotland and the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit. Read more
Staf's response to the Scottish Government consultation on raising the age a child can be referred to a Children's Hearing to 18. Read more
In this blog Innes McGuinness, a Youth Just Us member currently in prison, reflects on the importance of teaching young people to be happy. Read more
This is the second edition of the 'Youth Justice Voices' newsletter created for care and justice experienced young people in Scotland and created by us, the young people of Youth Just Us! Read more
This is the first edition of our newsletter created for care and justice experienced young people and created by us, the young people of Youth Just Us. Read more
Read Staf's full response to the consultation on incorporating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into our domestic law in Scotland. Read more
Ruth Kerracher, Youth Justice Participation Worker at Staf and CYCJ, gives us an update on the work of the Youth Just Us steering group over the last month. Read more
Our project to support the participation of young people with care and justice experience is gathering pace. Here's the latest from Ruth Kerracher, our Youth Justice Participation Worker. Read more
This week, Staf and CYCJ's Youth Justice Voices project got underway with the first info session at our office - putting young people in the driving seat in more ways that one! Find out more. Read more
Ruth Kerracher, Youth Justice Participation Worker, gives an overview of Staf and CYCJ's new project to amplify the voice of young people with experience of the care and justice systems. Read more
Staf, along with CYCJ, was nominated for an award at the Howard League Community Awards on Wednesday – we didn’t win but we received a commendation! Read more
Widely reported as the ‘Smacking Ban’, this Bill has recently been introduced to the Scottish Parliament by John Finnie MSP, with the aim to outlaw any form of physical punishment against children. Read our short summary of the Bill here. Read more
Currently at Stage 1 in the Scottish Parliament, this Bill aims to change the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR) to 12 years of age from the current level of 8 – the lowest in Europe. Our article questions whether the Bill goes far enough, and whether it truly works to support Scotland’s children and young people. Read more
Building upon previous research into offending and residential childcare, 'Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Responses to Offending in Residential Childcare, CYCJ and Staf have been working on the 'Responding to Offending in Residential Childcare - Next Steps' project. Find out more about this work and read our progress report. Read more
In March 2018, Scotland Works for You published a guidance pack to help employers evaluate the meaning of criminal records in jobs and opportunities and to help individuals make positive applications for employment. Find out more. Read more
The Scottish Care Leavers Covenant is a bold and committed promise to young people who have experience of the care system: that they matter. Read more
Journey Through Justice is an interactive online resource developed by CYCJ in partnership with IRISS. This guide will assist children and young people in understanding the journey through the youth justice system following being charged with an offence. Find out more. Read more
There is current and ongoing concern regarding the potential criminalisation of looked after young people. This report, written by CYCJ's Kristina Moodie and Debbie Nolan, identifies the prevalent issues and tensions and makes recommendations for going forward. Find out more and download this report. Read more
Karyn McCluskey, Chief Executive for Criminal Justice Scotland, joined us at our Annual Conference 2017. Her session focused on how the failure to prioritise prevention leads to an entrenched deprivation and low aspiration. Find out more about Karyn and download her presentation. Read more
Young people from the care system who offend are some of the hardest to reach and marginalised in society. In 2017, one of Staf's key objectives was to find out more and see what role we could play in supporting them better. Read more. Read more
In October 2017, the Centre for Youth and Criminal Justice (CYCJ) published a joint report encouraging reflection about children and young people in the justice system in Scotland, particularly those detained in custody. Read more