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Working with young people in the legal system
Role of a Lawyer acting for a Child or a Young Person
(Relevant to all matters except Child's Representatives in the Family Court who as lawyers are not required to act on instructions )
- Acting on the client's instructions
- Allowing the client to make an informed decision
Providing information about:
- the court system and processes
- the role of other parties
- the lawyer's role
- Providing advice about potential outcomes, rights and options
- Confidentiality with the client
- Collecting reports from relevant professionals
- Conflict
Legal Issues affecting Children and Young People
The main issues that bring young people into contact with the legal system are contact with the police, and issues related to home life, when either parents separate through the Family Court or when there are issues of protection of the young person against harm (Family Division of the Children's Court). Young people often don't identify any other problems as legal ones, when in actual fact, legal advice at an early stage could be quite useful. Workers with young people can assist their clients to identify legal problems/issues and help them to get legal advice.
Other legal issues that young people often face include:
- school discipline disputes
- discrimination
- crimes compensation
- administrative law issues Eg: Centrelink; DHS
- public space issues: dealing with security guards; skating
- Tenancy issues : group houses; rights in a refuge
- Contract / consumer issues
- Fines