ICJA was pleased to take part in Creative Conversations – Episode 18, a podcast hosted by the Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ) in Scotland, focusing on advancing child-centred justice in Scotland and internationally.
In this episode, Katya Allcott-Amjad, Communications and Engagement Advisor at CYCJ, was joined by Fiona Dyer, Director of CYCJ, and Cédric Foussard, Founder of ICJA, to reflect on how justice systems can better respond to children’s rights, needs and lived realities.
At the heart of the conversation was the concept of child-centred justice — an approach grounded in international standards that recognises children as rights-holders and places their dignity, participation, protection and best interests at the centre of all justice processes. Child-centred justice prioritises prevention, education and reintegration, with deprivation of liberty used only as a last resort.
The discussion also highlighted the work of CYCJ, a national centre hosted by the University of Strathclyde that supports evidence-informed policy, practice and law reform in child and youth justice across Scotland. CYCJ has played a key role in promoting trauma-informed, rights-based approaches and in supporting Scotland’s move away from the detention of children in prison settings.
The episode offered a valuable opportunity to exchange perspectives between Scotland’s reform experience and broader international developments, reinforcing the importance of collaboration, evidence and shared learning in advancing child-centred justice worldwide.
Creative Conversations – Episode 18: Advancing Child-Centred Justice
with Fiona Dyer and Cédric Foussard
