Kids Law

The UK  signed the European Convention on Human Rights, which covers both human rights and civil liberties, and it is part of our law.  But  how are they different?  Alma-Constance and Lucinda talk to Shami Chakrabarti CBE, PC who sits in the House of Lords and is a human rights activist. She tells us: ·      how civil liberties and human rights work to protect us all ·      how the rule of law re...

In May 2023, King Charles III was crowned as the new monarch for the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. Part of his role, every year, the monarch is invited to open the new parliamentary session - and, this November,  King Charles III is opening Parliament for the first time as King.  Alma-Constance and Lucinda talk to Sir John Baker, an English legal historian who was the Downing professor of t...

Human rights are for everyone, but some groups do not get access to them equally. Why is this and what can be done?  Alma-Constance and Lucinda talk to Sultana Tafadar KC and her 11 year old daughter Safiyah, who tell us about their work and why they set up the Girls Human Rights Hub and: ·      why Sultana chose to work as a human rights lawyer. ·      how human rights protect children in crimina...

In this round up episode, we look back at Series 3 in which we discuss how law affects children and young people and why it's important that we all understand how the legal system works.  We have discussed how laws are involved with: ·      artificial intelligence that can affect how we think and form our views ·      how the NSPCC and ICO work to help keep children safe online ·      how chi...

How are children protected online and who is responsible for enforcing this? Alma-Constance and Lucinda talk to Emily Keaney, Deputy Commissioner Regulatory Policy at the Information Commissioner’s Office who tells us: ·      About her role and the work of ICO ·      the impact of the Children’s Code developed to protect children ·      the ICO’s involvement with the the Online Safety Bill  ·     ...

What does an MP do when they are in government and in opposition and what is  the role of law in politics.? In this episode Lucinda and Alma-Constance talk to Alma’s local MP, Karen Buck a member of the Labour Party who has been a politician for over 25 years and was part of the Labour government, working at the Department for Transport.  Karen tells us:  ·      About her role in making laws in Pa...

MPs vote to create or amend new laws in Parliament but how do they know who gives the government legal advice about the laws it wants to introduce, how they're written and then put into operation.  Alma- Constance and Lucinda ask Susanna McGibbon, the government's most senior legal official in the civil service and permanent secretary of the government legal department, which provides th...

Why has Scotland given children the strongest rights in the UK?   Alma- Constance and Lucinda ask Bruce Adamson, the Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland.  He tells us: ·      How he works with his team to promote and safeguard the rights of everyone in Scotland up to the age of 18. ·      About the three laws he wanted to change to raise the age of criminal responsibility, stop...

It sounds right that the law should be applied equally to everyone – but what does this mean and what does it need to work properly? Alma- Constance and Lucinda ask Abiodun Michael Olatokun, trustee at the Law for Life Organization, past head of public and youth engagement, diversity officer and research leader for the citizen and rule of law at the Bingham Center and who is currently undertaking...

Why we have juries and are they a good thing?  Each year about 200,000 people undertake jury service, and they play a vital role in deciding the facts and evidence in trials and inquests. Recently, Lucinda was a juror and Alma-Constance asks about her experience and we talk to Professor Leslie Thomas KC about why it is so important for ordinary people to be involved in trials and inquests to ensur...

We must obey the law whether we know about it or not!   In this episode, Alma-Constance and Lucinda ask Dr. Mari Takayanagi, historian, author, and the senior Parliamentary Archivist - part of a team which manages the more than 4 million historic records going back more than 500 years at the House of Commons and the House of Lords.  Mari tells us: ·      About the Magna Carta and the oldest Act an...

In this episode, Alma-Constance and Lucinda ask about when children can make decisions about medical treatment and why sometimes a court is involved. They talk to Imogen Goold, Professor of Medical Law at St Anne's College Oxford university and Gresham visiting professor, as she is an expert in the area of how doctors and parents talk to children about illness, their rights, and responsibilit...

How does our the constitution work to controls those with power over citizens and make sure governments act properly? Alma-Constance and Lucinda  talk to leading human rights barrister, Adam Wagner of Doughty Street Chambers who he has written a new book called ‘Emergency State’ which looks at the way that lockdown laws during the pandemic were made and the bigger picture of why the way laws are m...

** WARNING – this episodes mentions the Manchester bomb attack, self-harm and death in the context of inquests** Why do some people need to bring legal challenges against the police; and why it is important for people to be able to challenge organisations with power? In this episode, Alma- Constance and Lucinda speak to Christian Weaver, a barrister from Garden Court North Chambers in Manchester w...

 In this episode, Alma- Constance and Lucinda want to know more about the risks that children face online, and how they can be protected when they use the internet. They speak to Andy Burrows from the NSPCC, who is head of child safety online policy.  He tells us about common risks that children can face online  Whether there are laws to protect children online  What children can do if they experi...

In this episode, Alma- Constance and Lucinda discuss the role of the internet and how it can affect the way we think and how laws can protect the way we can express our thoughts and views online. They speak to Susie Alegre, international human rights barrister at Doughty Street Chambers and author of Freedom to Think . She is a pioneer in looking at digital human rights and her book explores the i...

In this short round up episode , we look back on what we have learnt in Series 2 about how law affects children and young people and why it's important that we understand how the legal system works. We have discussed: How the courts deal with different types of cases and the difference between criminal and civil courts The work of the House of Lords  and how people become members of the House...

In this episode, Alma- Constance and Lucinda talk to Sarah Forshaw QC, an experienced specialist criminal barrister who is the co-head of chambers at 5 King's Bench Walk in London, about the law relating to children and gangs. She explains:  Why some children and young people want to join a street gang and what can happen if they get caught up in crime;   What county lines means and why gangs...

In this episode, Alma-Constance and Lucinda hear more about the important work of tribunals which is a dispute resolution system designed to be easier, quicker, cheaper and less formal than using courts.   There are 14 different types of tribunals in the United Kingdom, which cover lots of areas of our lives  to do with employment,  benefits and immigration  and local government decisions and betw...

In this episode, Alma- Constance and Lucinda learn more about solicitors, their work and role in the legal system. They speak to I. Stephanie Boyce, who is the President of the Law Society of England and Wales, which represents over 200,000 solicitors. She is the  177th president, the sixth female, the first black office holder, the first person of colour, and the second in-house solicitor in almo...

In this episode, Alma- Constance and Lucinda learn more about the work of judges and juries in the crown court. They speak to Her Honour Judge Deborah Taylor, who is the Resident Judge at Southwark Crown Court in London, which is the fourth largest in the country and she is also Recorder of Westminster. She also sits in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division and in the High Court Queen’s Bench Divi...

In this episode, Alma- Constance and Lucinda hear more about the important work of magistrates as about 95 % of cases are heard before ordinary people in Magistrates' Courts and these magistrates make up 85% of the judiciary in England and Wales, who sit in criminal family and youth courts.   They speak to Katherine Sirrell, who is a magistrate and deputy chair of the Young Magistrates Networ...

In this episode, Alma-Constance and Lucinda find out what a barrister does and talk to  Derek Sweeting QC, President of the Bar Council 2021 who is now a High Court Judge in the Queen’s Bench Division and a Recorder in the Crown and County Courts. We discuss: the difference between a solicitor and a barrister why some barristers wear wigs and gowns why  it is so important for the Bar to be indepen...

In this special Christmas episode Alma-Constance and Lucinda find out if there are any laws that affect Christmas.  We talk to Russell Sandberg, Professor of Law at the School of Law and Politics at Cardiff University in Wales, who has a particular interest in law, history, and religion and who tells us why we have laws that affect how people celebrate events together. He tells us about laws  crea...

In this episode, Alma-Constance and Lucinda talk to the Honourable Mrs Justice Joanna Smith DBE, a High Court Judge, to ask her about the cases that are heard in the High Court and how judges are appointed to the High Court. We discuss: ·      the three different types of courts within the High Court which deal with civil cases and where are they based ·      what Joanna does in a typical working...