NDA Submission to the Consultation on a Youth Justice Strategy

NDA Submission to the Consultation on a Youth Justice Strategy

The NDA contributed to the public consultation, making the following main points:

• The guiding principles underpinning the draft Strategy reflect Ireland’s international obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as well as the obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
• The Youth Justice Strategy has due to regard to existing legislation, policy and practice that relates to the rights and lives of persons with disabilities, in a way that allows for coherency and collaboration.
• The effective participation of children and young people is at the centre of developing appropriate policies and support systems related to the youth justice system, and that any participation model developed is inclusive of, and accessible to, children and young people with disabilities.
• Any education and training supports offered to children and young people in, and emerging from, detention are fully accessible and inclusive.
• Modules on working with persons with disabilities be incorporated as standard into training programmes for police officers, prison staff, lawyers, the judiciary and court personnel.
• The collection of data (and the disaggregation of that data by disability) and the carrying out of relevant research be promoted in the Youth Justice Strategy.