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Kids LawAuthor: Alma-Constance Denis-Smith and Lucinda Acland
This is a podcast about children and the laws that affect them as they grow up. Alma-Constance, our host, decided to start the podcast in 2021, when she turned 10 years old. Living in England, UK, she discovered that at 10 years old she would have reached the age of criminal responsibility. This is one of the youngest ages of criminalising children in the developed world. That was a pretty shocking discovery for her especially as she realised that she and her peers knew nothing about what this meant in practice and how it can affected children and their families. With the help of Lucinda Acland, a lawyer, and supported by Next 100 Years, they set out to ask some questions of leading experts to help children make sense of it all. There are a lot of laws that affect #children as they grow up and they are confusing and complicated and can affect all aspects of their day-to-day life from #education to online protections or at home, if families break up. It is difficult to keep track and understand the laws and how they impact a child's life. Alma-Constance is determined to help #TeachKidsLaw at a much younger age to help them grow up into adults confident with their legal knowledge. Understanding how the law works and being able to understand complex concepts of #justice and #ruleoflaw will help anyone as they try to navigate their lives. You can email us: kidslaw@spark21.org or reach us on social media channels and our www.kidslaw.info website. Language: en-gb Genres: Education, Education for Kids, Kids & Family Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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School Exclusions and Children’s Rights
Episode 7
Thursday, 23 October, 2025
Content Warning: This episode mentions domestic and sexual abuse, possession of weapons, and mental health difficulties in relation to behaviour that may lead to school exclusion.Children as young as 10 can be held responsible for crimes – but they also have special rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. In this episode, Alma-Constance and Lucinda talk to Florence Cole, an education solicitor at Harrow Law Centre, about the laws around children’s education, why exclusions happen, and what can be done to protect young people.Florence has many years' experience supporting children and families through exclusions, appeals, discrimination cases, and special educational needs issues. She explains:· When parents can legally challenge a school or local authority decision· Why exclusions can have devastating long-term effects· How children’s backgrounds, trauma and unmet special needs can influence behaviour· The “school-to-prison pipeline” and pupil referral units· Practical tips for parents and carers facing exclusion hearings· How the law (Equality Act 2010, Children & Families Act 2014, SEND Regulations) protects children with special educational needsWhen Florence was 10, she loved spending time in nature and had an imaginary friend called Frieda. References and Resources Harrow Law CentreBehaviour in schools: sanctions and exclusionsDiscriminatory exclusionsSchool exclusion: a review on disproportionate exclusion of certain childrenSchool suspensions and permanent exclusionsIf you've got any questions, ideas about a topic or someone to interview, get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!! You can email us at kidslaw@spark21.org, contact us through the website: www.kidslaw.info or through social media: Facebook, X and Instagram @KidsLawInfo Please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast with your friends. See you soon in the next episode!
