Speaking from the heart
As she prepares to leave her role as director of CYCJ, Claire Lightowler shares why she’ll never stop fighting for the rights of every child and young person in this candid and powerful blog. Dear friends and colleagues This has to be the hardest thing I’ve written because it means acknowledging that I really am […]
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“Not cut out for prison”: Depriving children of their childhood
On World Children’s Day 2020, Claire Lightowler (Director of CYCJ) and Bruce Adamson (Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland) have written a joint blog to raise awareness of the increasing number of children in remand in Scotland – and why we must act quickly to develop alternative provisions if we are to fulfil our international […]
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January feels like another world…
Claire Lightowler, CYCJ’s Director and author of ‘Rights Respecting? Scotland’s approach to children in conflict with the law’, reflects on the challenges of maintaining a long-term vision during the immediate challenges of the coronavirus pandemic – and why she’s more determined than ever to keep children’s rights at the forefront of the youth justice agenda… […]
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The same…but different? Reflections on ‘stepping back’
What does the workplace look like when you return to it after time away? As she resumes her role as CYCJ’s director, Claire Lightowler reflects back on her year of thinking, reading and writing about youth justice, her motivations for doing so – and what it’s taught her about the way we work. It’s been […]
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Becoming ‘a nest of unfearties’
As the Children’s Parliament calls for ‘unfearties’, Claire Lightowler reflects on what it means to be brave when working to create a brighter future for Scotland’s children and young people. ‘A nest of unfearties’. Those of you who know that phrase will recall it within Edwin Morgan’s poem articulating his hopes and ambition for the Scottish Parliament […]
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Worth a better future
The positively acclaimed STV Appeal ‘Who Cares’ documentary, about what it’s really like to be a looked after young person in Scotland, aired on September 20. Charlotte Morris recalls the stories behind the statistics, and how these can help us create a better future for every child. Imagine being moved – without any warning – to an entirely new place. You […]
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Reflecting on ‘Conviction: violence, culture and a shared public service agenda’ by John Carnochan
CYCJ’s Director, Claire Lightowler, reflects on ‘Conviction: violence, culture and a shared public service agenda’ in the latest Raising Youth Justice blog post, and shares her thoughts on what this book by John Carnochan can teach us about supporting change across youth justice. It’s rare for me to read a book straight through in one sitting, but as soon […]
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