Critical social work and youth justice

This chapter explores the pivotal role of critical social work within youth justice, highlighting the interplay between legal frameworks, systemic inequalities, and professional identity. It argues for a foundational, rather than specialist, understanding of youth justice among all social workers and underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. Drawing from personal experience and theory, it introduces the TRUE model of reflection to promote anti-oppressive, child-centred practice. This chapter critiques siloed approaches in social care and promotes critical reflexivity, continuous learning, and discomfort as pathways toward transformative, anti-racist practice that empowers marginalized youth and challenges entrenched injustices in the criminal justice system.