This is the ‘Child First’ principle – the guiding principle for the Youth Justice System of England and Wales and the research interest of Professor Stephen Case for more than 20 years.

In his new book, Professor Case explores how the development and implementation of Child First is helping shape a new youth justice system.

The School of Social Sciences and Humanities academic explores how the principle promotes the development of pro-social identity, encourages collaboration with children and seeks to divert children away from the stigma of system contact.

Titled “Child First – Developing a new Youth Justice System”, the book has contributions from expert academics, policymakers, and practitioners, all exploring the progress and challenges in establishing a progressive evidence-led youth justice system.

Professor Case, who is a member of the Youth Justice Board's Academic Advisory Panel, commented: “Publishing this exciting and valuable book is a career highlight for me. In many ways, it is the culmination of 20 years of my child-focused research and scholarship. Better still, I'm privileged to have created this book with a group of expert and talented colleagues who, like me, are dedicated to challenging the poor treatment of children who experience problems”.

The book will be officially released on 24 March 2023 and available to buy through Blackwell’s or Amazon.