While the adult Pritchard criteria provide the foundation, Youth Court fitness assessments must consider developmental maturity. A young person may lack capacity not due to mental illness, but because their cognitive development is not yet sufficient to follow complex legal proceedings. Our experts evaluate “developmental unfitness” alongside clinical conditions.

Yes. If a child or young person is suffering from a mental disorder of a nature or degree that warrants detention in a hospital for treatment, the Youth Court can impose a Section 37 order. This usually results in admission to a specialist CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) secure or open unit.

For defendants under 18, a parent or guardian is usually required to provide developmental history and consent to the assessment. While the clinical interview with the young person may be conducted privately to ensure confidentiality, the expert will always seek collateral information from the family and school.

Yes. A high proportion of young people in the justice system have undiagnosed neurodevelopmental needs. Our child psychiatrists screen for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, and Learning Disabilities, as these are critical factors for both fitness to plead and sentencing mitigation.

Yes. If a young person is remanded in custody, our experts will travel to the relevant YOI or Secure Training Centre (STC) to conduct the assessment face-to-face. We can also arrange video assessments if the court and the institution permit.

While the formal presumption of doli incapax was abolished, the court must still consider a child’s ability to appreciate the wrongfulness of their actions. Our psychiatrists provide evidence on a young person’s moral reasoning and cognitive maturity to assist the court in determining culpability.

Contact our triage team with the young person’s details and the court deadline. We will provide a CV and quote for a Section 12 approved child psychiatrist within 60 minutes. We accept Legal Aid instructions and can start work as soon as we receive the case papers.

While the adult Pritchard criteria provide the foundation, Youth Court fitness assessments must consider developmental maturity. A young person may lack capacity not due to mental illness, but because their cognitive development is not yet sufficient to follow complex legal proceedings. Our experts evaluate “developmental unfitness” alongside clinical conditions.

Yes. If a child or young person is suffering from a mental disorder of a nature or degree that warrants detention in a hospital for treatment, the Youth Court can impose a Section 37 order. This usually results in admission to a specialist CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) secure or open unit.

For defendants under 18, a parent or guardian is usually required to provide developmental history and consent to the assessment. While the clinical interview with the young person may be conducted privately to ensure confidentiality, the expert will always seek collateral information from the family and school.

Yes. A high proportion of young people in the justice system have undiagnosed neurodevelopmental needs. Our child psychiatrists screen for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, and Learning Disabilities, as these are critical factors for both fitness to plead and sentencing mitigation.

Yes. If a young person is remanded in custody, our experts will travel to the relevant YOI or Secure Training Centre (STC) to conduct the assessment face-to-face. We can also arrange video assessments if the court and the institution permit.

While the formal presumption of doli incapax was abolished, the court must still consider a child’s ability to appreciate the wrongfulness of their actions. Our psychiatrists provide evidence on a young person’s moral reasoning and cognitive maturity to assist the court in determining culpability.

Contact our triage team with the young person’s details and the court deadline. We will provide a CV and quote for a Section 12 approved child psychiatrist within 60 minutes. We accept Legal Aid instructions and can start work as soon as we receive the case papers.