Young Witness Service

Going to court as a witness can be difficult at any age, but for children it can be a really scary experience.

In Northern Ireland, we run the Young Witness Service. This partnership provides support and assistance to children and young people under 18-years-old who have to attend court as witnesses in Northern Ireland. It's free, independent and confidential.

Our team assists children and young people under 18 years old who have to attend court as prosecution witnesses. It operates in every local crown, magistrates and youth court in Northern Ireland.

Last year in Northern Ireland the Young Witness Service helped 584 children and young people.

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Testimonials from young witnesses:

“I couldn’t have been made to feel any more comfortable in this centre and staff have been amazing support throughout the trial. I hope that anyone using the service will feel at ease when leaving as we have”.

“I think without the support I would not have coped."

"Absolutely amazing super friendly and very understanding, makes the experience less stressful."

Local campaigns

We work in partnerships with communities to devise and deliver local safeguarding campaigns which respond to local needs on topics such as youth-led bullying campaigns and neglect.

Last year we delivered local campaigns to 2,800 professionals, adults and children in Northern Ireland.

Campaigns we deliver locally include:

Look, Say, Sing, Play is a set of resources that encourage higher quality interaction between parents and their babies, with tips that can be easily incorporated into everyday routines.

Talk PANTS helps children understand that their body belongs to them, and they should tell someone they trust if anything makes them feel upset or worried.

Campaign with us