When a young person is involved in care proceedings, it can feel like decisions are being made about them in a room they never enter, using words they don’t understand, by people they’ve never met. That sense of distance can be upsetting—especially when the outcome affects where they live, who they see, and what their future looks like.
A recent report from the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory (NFJO) looks at a pilot where young people met the judge dealing with their care case. The aim was simple: to see what happens when we make the Family Court feel a bit more human and a bit easier to understand for young people.
This article summarises what was learned and why it matters.
Why does meeting the judge matter?
In most care cases, children and young people do have a voice in the process—usually through a Children’s Guardian (from CAFCASS) and a solicitor acting for them. But some young people still feel:
- they are not being properly listened to
- they don’t understand what is happening or why
- court feels “secret” or confusing
- adults are speaking for them, but not necessarily saying what they mean
The pilot explored whether meeting the judge could help with those problems—without turning the meeting into another stressful, formal “court event”.
What is this kind of meeting (and what isn’t it)?
A key point from the pilot is that these meetings are not meant to be the young person “giving evidence” or being questioned about allegations.
Instead, the meeting is usually there to help the young person:
- understand who the judge is and what the judge does
- ask questions about the process
- feel more involved, in a safe and sensible way
- have reassurance that the judge has heard them
Just as importantly, the meeting should avoid putting the young person in a position where they feel responsible for the outcome.
What did the pilot seem to show?
While every young person’s experience is different, the report highlights several clear themes.
- It can make court feel less scary and more understandable
For some young people, simply meeting the judge helped them feel that the decision-maker was a real person, not an invisible authority figure. That can reduce anxiety and help them make sense of what is happening. - It can improve trust in the process
Even when young people don’t “get what they want” from the final decision, understanding how decisions are made can help the outcome feel less exclusive or unfair. - It helps when boundaries are clear
These meetings work best when everyone is clear in advance about:
- what the meeting is for
- what won’t be discussed (for example, disputed facts)
- who will be there
- whether anything will be written down and shared with the parties
Without clear boundaries, there is a real risk of misunderstandings—and concerns about fairness for the adults involved in the case.
- Preparation and support make a big difference
A young person needs the chance to decide freely whether they want the meeting, and to be supported before and after it. For some, it will be reassuring. For others, it might be stressful or overwhelming.
The pilot’s learning points strongly support a trauma-informed approach—meaning the process should feel safe, predictable, and not emotionally demanding in a way that harms the young person.
What are the concerns (and why do they matter)?
Professionals are rightly careful about judge–young person meetings, and the pilot also highlights why safeguards matter.
Fairness for everyone
In care proceedings, parents and others must be confident that the judge hasn’t received “private information” behind closed doors.
So if meetings happen, they need to be managed in a way that keeps the process transparent—so no party feels the judge has heard something important that they can’t respond to. It is usual for the young person’s Guardian and solicitor to attend with the solicitor taking a note which will be agreed by the Judge and then circulated to all parties. The Judge will also make clear to the young person that nothing said within the meeting can be kept confidential from others.
Not turning it into evidence
If the meeting slips into discussing disputed events, it creates big problems. It could affect how reliable any later evidence is said to be, and it risks putting the young person in the middle of adult conflict.
Emotional pressure on young people
If a young person thinks the meeting is their chance to “convince” the judge, they may feel huge pressure—especially if the outcome later goes against what they asked for.
When might it be helpful?
A meeting may be useful where a young person:
- asks to meet the judge (and understands what that means)
- is old enough and ready for it
- feels confused or anxious about court
- is facing long-term decisions and wants to understand them better
It may be less suitable where the young person is very distressed, at risk of being influenced by others, or where the case is at a sensitive stage (for example, disputed fact-finding issues).
The takeaway: small change, potentially big impact
The NFJO pilot points to something many families and professionals recognise: process matters. How young people experience care proceedings can affect how they cope with the outcome and how they view the professionals around them.
Meeting the judge is not right for every case, and it must be done carefully. But the pilot suggests it can help some young people feel more informed, respected, and involved—without undermining the fairness of the court process.