This space is for you.
If you’re a child or young person, or an adult supporting one, Just the Right Space helps you understand what’s happening, what your rights are, and where to find support.
Discover helpful information, learn about your rights, hear from others who have been through similar experiences, and find trusted places that can offer support.
This website was developed by the Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ) in collaboration with young people who have lived experience of the justice system.
The justice system can feel confusing and overwhelming.
These resources are here to help you understand what might happen, what your rights are, and where to find support – whether you’re a child or young person or an adult supporting one.
Click on any of the topics below to read more about that area.
You don’t need to read everything – start wherever feels right for you.
For information about what might happen.
An overview of the main steps a child or young person might experience in the justice system.
A plain-language guide to how the system works and who is involved.
What a CSO is, what is means, and how it can affect a child or young person.
What secure care is and what children and young people have said it should feel like.
For understanding rights, protections, and key legal processes.
What your rights are if the police speak to you or take you to a police station.
Scotland’s youth justice standards explained in a child-friendly way.
What the law says and what this means for children.
How different services work together to support children and families.
Extra information, learning resources, and awareness work.
An A-Z guide to common terms you might hear.
Explores ideas about justice, fairness, and responsibility.
Looks at how justice affects communities and how we can speak about it.
Research exploring young people’s understanding of restorative justice.
Information about how trauma and loss affect young people in custody.
Support for parents and carers to help keep children safe online.
There are many people and services out there that can offer you support. These are some of the places we think might be helpful.
Children and young people have an important role in shaping the justice system.
You might want to share your views, get involved in projects, build new skills, or connect with others who have had similar experiences.
There are different ways to take part, depending on what feels right for you.
You might want to share your thoughts, ideas, or experiences in a way that feels comfortable for you.
This could be through writing, artwork, video, or simply telling us what you think. You don’t need any experience to take part, and there’s no pressure to share anything you don’t feel ready to.
We’re interested in what matters to you, whether that’s your experiences, your ideas, or things you think could be better.
There are different opportunities to get involved depending on what works for you.
These might include:
Some opportunities are short-term and others are ongoing.
Not all of them involve influencing decisions or policy, but they can help build confidence, learn new skills, and have your voice heard.
You might want a space where you can meet others, talk, or just feel part of something.
Some groups offer safe and supportive spaces specifically for young people who have care and/or justice experience. You don’t have to share your story or take part in activities unless you want to.
For some people, just being around others who understand can make a difference.
However you’d like to take part, we’d love to hear from you.
You can also get involved through these organisations below.
If you’d like us to add a group or project, please contact us.
Hear from other young people who have care and/or justice experience.
These experiences tell us what things can feel like, what helped, and what young people want others to understand.
The Commissioner protects the rights of children and young people up to age 18, or 21 if care experienced.
Everyone has rights, whether they’re a child or an adult. No matter what they have done. We believe that every child should have opportunities to learn about their rights and to know how to make sure these are met.
If you are a child in conflict with the law, you have the right to understand what is happening to you when you enter the justice system.
You should receive clear information about your rights throughout this process. If needed, you should have a trusted adult who can help you understand these rights.
It’s also essential for adults to learn about children’s rights. This includes parents and carers, community members, and professionals who work or volunteer in the Children’s Hearings System and the justice system, such as Police Scotland and the Scottish Prison Service.
There are many international agreements and laws that help us understand the rights of children, including when children are in conflict with the law.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, called the UNCRC for short, is the international agreement that sets out all the rights children have from birth to the age of 18. Scotland is in the process of making the UNCRC part of its laws. This process is called incorporation.
The Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland has this useful guide to children’s rights.
The 44 Standards outline what children and young people can expect before, during, and after secure care. They highlight how the secure care journey should look and feel from the child’s perspective. Developed in collaboration with children and young people who have lived experience of secure care, these Standards ensure their voices are heard. Learn more.
Explore resources from CYCJ and partners to clearly understand your rights in the justice system and custody.
