The Northern Ireland Department of Justice’s recent launch of promotional videos aimed at child victims of serious sexual offences represents a welcome and significant development in the evolution of a more responsive, victim-centred justice system. While awareness campaigns are not new in themselves, this initiative is notable for what it reflects: a growing institutional recognition that early, independent legal advice can be central to safeguarding child victims and supporting their meaningful engagement with the criminal justice process.

By focusing on awareness and access to specialist legal advice at an early stage, the campaign acknowledges that access to justice does not begin at trial, but at the point where a child or family first considers reporting an offence. In a jurisdiction that has long faced low reporting rates and high attrition in serious sexual offence cases, particularly those involving children, this represents a constructive and timely shift in both policy and practice.

Building confidence through early legal engagement

A key strength of the initiative lies in its emphasis on early engagement. For child victims and their families, the prospect of reporting a serious sexual offence is often shaped by fear, uncertainty, and limited understanding of what the justice process entails. Historically, many victims have entered the system without clear information about disclosure requirements, evidential processes, court procedures, or the protections available to them.

Encouraging early access to independent legal advice helps address this gap. It allows children and their carers to make informed decisions, manage expectations, and better understand both their rights and the limits of their involvement. From a safeguarding perspective, this can reduce anxiety and the risk of re-traumatisation. From a system-wide perspective, it may also contribute to improved engagement and retention, addressing attrition driven by avoidable distress or misunderstanding.

Supporting victims while preserving procedural fairness

From a legal systems standpoint, initiatives of this kind inevitably raise questions about balance. Any expansion of victim support must operate within clearly defined parameters to ensure that prosecutorial independence and the rights of the accused are not compromised.

Importantly, the provision of independent legal advice to child victims does not alter prosecutorial decision-making or the evidential burden in criminal proceedings. Rather, it ensures that young people understand the process, the role they play within it, and the safeguards designed to protect them. Far from undermining procedural integrity, better-informed victims are more likely to engage consistently and confidently, contributing to more effective case management and a fairer process for all parties involved.

Part of a broader reform trajectory

The campaign sits within a wider reform context in Northern Ireland, where policymakers are increasingly prioritising the experiences of victims and witnesses. Proposed legislative measures aimed at strengthening victims’ rights, enhancing privacy protections, and improving participation reflect a broader shift towards trauma-informed justice, in line with developments across the UK and Ireland.

Seen in this context, the promotion of early legal advice is not an isolated intervention, but part of a coordinated effort to modernise how the justice system responds to vulnerability, particularly where children are concerned.

Implications for organisations and practitioners

For legal practitioners, the initiative reinforces the importance of trauma-informed practice, clear communication, and early engagement when working with child victims and witnesses. For public authorities, schools, care providers, and organisations operating in safeguarding-sensitive sectors, it serves as a reminder that expectations around victim support are evolving.

There is an increasing emphasis not only on internal safeguarding responses, but on effective signposting to external legal and support services. Legal advice is being recognised as a core component of holistic support, alongside emotional and practical assistance.

Looking ahead

Awareness campaigns alone are not a complete solution, and their impact will depend on sustained resourcing, accessibility of specialist legal services, and ongoing evaluation. Nonetheless, the Department of Justice’s initiative represents a constructive and encouraging step forward.

By normalising early legal engagement for child victims of serious sexual offences, Northern Ireland is strengthening its commitment to access to justice, safeguarding, and procedural fairness. If embedded and supported over time, this approach has the potential to improve confidence in the justice system and deliver better, more humane outcomes for some of its most vulnerable participants.