The Criminal Justice (Children) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998

[F1 Youth conferences N.I.

3A— (1) In this Order “youth conference”, in relation to a child and an offence, means a meeting, or series of meetings, for considering how the child ought to be dealt with for the offence.

(2) A meeting does not constitute, or form part of, a youth conference unless the following persons participate in it—

(a) a youth conference co-ordinator (as chairman);

(b) the child;

(c) a police officer; and

(d) an appropriate adult.

(3) The Secretary of State must designate persons employed in—

(a) the civil service of the United Kingdom; or

(b) the civil service of Northern Ireland,

to be youth conference co-ordinators.

(4) Except where the child is in the care of an authority (within the meaning of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (N.I. 2)), “appropriate adult” means a parent or guardian of the child or, if no parent or guardian of the child is able and willing to participate in the meeting—

(a) a social worker of the appropriate authority or a legal representative of the child; or

(b) if no-one within sub-paragraph (a) is able and willing to participate in the meeting, any responsible person who has attained the age of 18 and is neither a police officer nor a member of the police support staff.

(5) Where the child is in the care of an authority (within the meaning of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995), “appropriate adult” means a social worker of the authority.

(6) The following persons are entitled to participate in any meeting constituting, or forming part of, a youth conference—

(a) the victim of the offence or, if the victim is not an individual, an individual representing the victim;

(b) a legal representative of the child acting as his adviser; and

(c) if a community order or youth conference order is in force in respect of the child or the child is subject to supervision under a juvenile justice centre order or custody care order, the supervising officer.

(7) The supervising officer is—

(a) in the case of a probation order, the probation officer responsible for the child's supervision under the order;

(b) in the case of a community service order, the person who is the relevant officer for the purposes of Articles 13 and 14 of the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (N.I. 24) ;

(c) in the case of a combination order, either of the persons mentioned in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b);

(d) in the case of an attendance centre order, the officer in charge of the attendance centre specified in the order;

(e) in the case of a community responsibility order, reparation order or youth conference order, the responsible officer; or

(f) in the case of a juvenile justice centre order or custody care order, the probation officer or person designated by the Secretary of State who is supervising the child.

(8) A youth conference co-ordinator may allow other persons—

(a) to participate in any meeting constituting, or forming part of, a youth conference; or

(b) to attend any such meeting for any purpose specified by him,

if he considers that their participation, or attendance for that purpose, would be of value.

(9) Where a youth conference is convened with respect to a child and an offence, neither—

(a) the fact that it has been convened; nor

(b) anything said or done (or omitted to be said or done) in or in connection with any meeting constituting, or forming part of, the youth conference,

is admissible in any criminal proceedings as evidence that the child committed the offence.]

F1 2002 c. 26