Children & Young People's Centre for Justice (CYCJ)

What Children & Young People's Centre for Justice (CYCJ) does

Children and Young People's Centre for Justice (CYCJ) is a university-hosted research and advisory centre established in 2013 within the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. It operates as Scotland's designated national centre for youth justice knowledge, practice development, and research, serving a non-commercial mandate across Scotland. The organisation's core outputs include the annual 'Youth Justice Practice Guide' (a 19-section compendium covering themes from children's rights and trauma-informed care to neurodiversity and diversion from prosecution), the co-designed 'Just The Right Space' digital resource for children and young people with justice experience, the 'STARR in Scotland' curated platform for secure care experienced people, the 'Talking Hope' grief and bereavement project, the 'Youth Justice Voices' creative participation project, and the 'Inclusion as Prevention' early intervention programme in South Lanarkshire. It also hosts the annual National Youth Justice Conference in partnership with NYJAG and the Scottish Government, delivers webinars via Ticket Tailor, and produces eLearning modules through the University of Strathclyde's learning platform.

CYCJ is governed by a parent institution (University of Strathclyde) and works in close coordination with the Scottish Government, COSLA, local authorities, third sector agencies (including Action for Children and the Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum), and academic partners. Its underlying technology is a content and community platform rather than a software product: a WordPress-based website with an advanced search resources library, a Mailchimp-distributed monthly e-newsletter, an active Twitter/X presence (@CYCJScotland), and co-designed digital sub-brands (Just The Right Space, STARR). CYCJ employs 15 staff and is led by Director Professor Fiona Dyer, with practice development, participation, and communications advisors forming the core team.

The organisation's business model is non-commercial. CYCJ does not sell products or services, has no published pricing, and distributes all resources, training, and webinars free of charge to practitioners, policymakers, and young people. It is funded through Scottish Government institutional partnerships, project-specific grants (notably the National Lottery Community Fund for the Inclusion as Prevention project), and its host university's infrastructure. Customer segments are mission-driven rather than revenue-generating: Scottish Government, local authorities, youth justice practitioners, care-experienced children and young people, academics, and researchers. Strategic value is measured in policy influence, practitioner adoption, and participation outcomes rather than commercial revenue.

Name

Children & Young People's Centre for Justice (CYCJ)

Legal name

Children and Young People's Centre for Justice

Website

https://cycj.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Children and Young People's Centre for Justice (CYCJ) is a University of Strathclyde-hosted research and advisory centre serving as Scotland's national centre for youth justice knowledge, practice development, and research. It delivers evidence-based guidance, training, conferences, and participation programs to practitioners, policymakers, and care-experienced children and young people.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Justice Research and Policy Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Protection, Child Protection & Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response (BPAGAAAG)

Keywords

• Youth justice research
• Criminal justice policy
• Secure care standards
• Restorative justice practice
• Children participation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Glasgow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CYCJ produces evidence-based research, policy guidance, and practice resources for Scotland's youth justice sector, including the annual Youth Justice Practice Guide, dedicated digital platforms (Just The Right Space, STARR in Scotland), the Secure Care Pathway and Standards Scotland framework, training and eLearning modules, webinars, and the National Youth Justice Conference. It also operates participation projects co-designed with children and young people who have justice experience.

Product overview

CYCJ offers a portfolio of research, guidance, and participation resources focused on youth justice in Scotland. The core offerings include the annual Youth Justice Practice Guide (19-section comprehensive guide), the Just The Right Space online portal co-designed with young people, the STARR Scotland curated platform for secure care, the Youth Justice Voices participation project, Talking Hope grief/bereavement resources, Inclusion as Prevention early intervention program, and the Secure Care Pathway and Standards Scotland framework. Additional offerings include the annual National Youth Justice Conference, eLearning modules, and a resources library of reports, factsheets, and training materials. CYCJ is not a software product company but rather a research and policy organization that produces evidence-based resources and tools for practitioners and policymakers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Just The Right Space: An online resource created by CYCJ and co-designed with young people who have justice experience, providing support and information about the justice system.
• STARR in Scotland
• Talking Hope
• Inclusion as Prevention (IAP)
• Youth Justice Voices
• National Leadership Network

Products and services

• Youth Justice Practice Guide 2026 Annual practice guide covering policy, practice and legislation for practitioners and managers working with children and young people at risk of or in conflict with the law. Updated yearly with 19 sections covering Children's Rights, Risk Management, Mental Health, Diversity, Restorative Justice, Adversity and Trauma, and Diversion from Prosecution.
• Just The Right Space Online resource created by CYCJ and co-designed with young people who have justice experience. Provides support and understanding of the justice system for children, young people, or adults seeking help.
• STARR in Scotland Scotland's only curated space for secure care experienced children, young people and adults. Exists to help inform, advise, challenge and change the pathways into, during, and after secure care.
• National Youth Justice Conference Annual flagship event for youth justice practitioners in Scotland, hosted in partnership with National Youth Justice Advisory Group (NYJAG) and Scottish Government.
• Secure Care Pathway and Standards Scotland National standards framework for Scotland's most restrictive form of care for children, setting out expectations for children in or on edges of secure care.
• eLearning Modules Online learning modules for practitioners, including Supporting communication in youth justice settings, delivered through the University of Strathclyde's online learning environment.
• Resources Library Collection of reports, factsheets, briefing papers, presentations, webinars and training materials available for practitioners and policymakers, accessible via advanced search on the CYCJ website.

Quantifiable outcome

• CYCJ contributed to the passing of the Children (care, care experience and services planning) bill, specifically the places of safety amendment enabling police to take under-18s to an alternative location instead of police custody.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• European Forum for Restorative Justice (EFRJ)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026CYCJ participates in the European Forum for Restorative Justice, attending and presenting at international conferences. Practice Development Advisor Lauren Emmerson attended the 13th International EFRJ Conference in Poznan, Poland in June 2026. CYCJ staff have also previously presented at EFRJ conferences on topics including restorative justice in the aftermath of serious crime.
• STARR in ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTARR (Secure care, Transition, And Recovery Resources) in Scotland is Scotland's only curated space for secure care experienced children, young people, and adults. It exists to help inform, advise, challenge, and change the pathways into, during, and after secure care. STARR was co-founded by Beth-Anne Logan and CYCJ has partnered with STARR on multiple initiatives including the development of the Secure Care Pathway and Standards Scotland, the Talking Hope project, and various participation activities.
• National Youth Justice Advisory Group (NYJAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYJAG is a key national advisory body for youth justice in Scotland. CYCJ co-hosts the annual National Youth Justice Conference with NYJAG and the Scottish Government. This partnership positions CYCJ as the central convenor of Scotland's youth justice professional community.
• Scottish GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCYCJ works closely with the Scottish Government on youth justice policy, practice development, and legislative reform. This includes producing the annual Youth Justice Practice Guide, contributing to consultation responses, supporting implementation of the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024, and co-hosting the National Youth Justice Conference. CYCJ is actively engaged with the new Scottish Government to implement policy changes including places of safety alternatives to police custody.
• Action for ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAction for Children is a delivery partner in the Inclusion as Prevention (IAP) project, which is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and delivered by CYCJ in partnership with Action for Children, South Lanarkshire Council, and the Dartington Design Lab. IAP focuses on preventing offending and antisocial behaviour through community-based approaches.
• South Lanarkshire CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Lanarkshire Council is a key delivery partner in the Inclusion as Prevention (IAP) project alongside CYCJ, Action for Children, and the Dartington Design Lab. The council participates in multi-agency Champions Groups and networking events coordinated by CYCJ, and has collaborated on projects including the IAP Football Project.
• National Lottery Community FundcoreOthersThe National Lottery Community Fund is the funder of the Inclusion as Prevention (IAP) project, which is delivered by CYCJ in partnership with Action for Children, South Lanarkshire Council, and the Dartington Design Lab. The fund enables IAP's community-based approach to preventing offending in South Lanarkshire.
• Dartington Design LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDartington Design Lab is a delivery partner in the Inclusion as Prevention (IAP) project, contributing design expertise to the project's co-production methodology and community engagement approach. The project uses co-production to measure change and enable children and young people to participate in designing services.
• Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum (Staf)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCYCJ and Staf partner on multiple initiatives including the Youth Justice Voices project (a creative participation project for care and justice experienced young people), the 'Next Steps' project on responding to offending in residential childcare, and the Responding to Offending in Residential Childcare initiative. Youth Justice Voices is co-hosted by CYCJ and Staf.
• Talking Mats LtdsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTalking Mats Ltd is a social enterprise that developed the Talking Mats visual communication tool, which CYCJ promotes and integrates into youth justice practice. CYCJ has featured guest blogs from Talking Mats (including Operations Director Margo Mackay) exploring how visual communication tools support practitioners working with children and young people in the justice system. Talking Mats' training is recommended for practitioners seeking to improve communication with justice-experienced young people.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Centre for Justice Innovation: UK charity that works to build a fairer justice system through research, innovation, and practice development. Operates a similar model of producing evidence-based resources, training, and convening practitioners and policymakers on justice reform.
• Howard League for Penal Reform: UK charity focused on criminal justice reform, including dedicated youth justice work, producing research, briefings, and policy advocacy. Directly comparable to CYCJ in mission, advocacy-driven model, and engagement with UK government and practitioners.
• Children in Scotland: Scottish national membership organization for children's sector workers and policymakers. Directly comparable to CYCJ as a Scotland-focused convening, policy, and practice development organization working across children's services.
• Voice of Young People in Care (VOYPIC): Northern Ireland charity advocating for care-experienced children and young people. Comparable to CYCJ's STARR and Youth Justice Voices participation projects in its focus on amplifying the voices of care-experienced young people in policy and practice.
• Restorative Justice Council: UK independent membership body for restorative justice practitioners. CYCJ has a significant restorative justice programme and works closely with international bodies like EFRJ, making this a comparable peer in advocacy and practice standards.
• Centre for Crime and Justice Studies: UK-based independent charity producing research, education, and debate on crime and justice. Comparable to CYCJ in producing evidence-based resources, convening events, and engaging policymakers.

Broad incumbents

• Barnardo's: Large UK children's charity that runs services for children in or at risk of entering the justice system, including policy advocacy. Comparable in mission to protect and advocate for vulnerable children, though broader in scope.
• Nacro: Long-established UK charity focused on crime prevention, youth justice, and resettlement. Comparable as a broader organization working across policy, practice, and direct services for young people in the justice system.

Regional players

• Scottish Council for Crime Prevention: Scotland-based charity focused on crime prevention through research, education, and community engagement. Comparable as a Scotland-based non-profit working on criminal justice policy and practitioner support.
• Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA): Scotland's national body for the Children's Hearings System. Comparable to CYCJ in its Scotland-specific remit and central role in the youth justice landscape that CYCJ supports through practice guidance.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CYCJScotland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cycjscotland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Children & Young People's Centre for Justice (CYCJ)