b'WESTJUSTICEVincent Shin and Anoushka Jeronimus, Westjustice (Photo: Meredith OShea)Imagine for a moment youre a young person who hasWestjustice is a community legal centre based in the found themselves in residential care. Child Protectionwestern suburbs of Melbourne that has been supported, Services identify five areas of harm that usually see afinancially and practically, by the Newsboys Foundation for child placed into care, with the most likely being neglectseven years and continues to create ground-breaking work or abuse. So these youths are living complex, incrediblywhen it comes to legal support of children who have found difficult lives, potentially in danger, before they land in athemselves in vulnerable situations by circumstances shared residential house, with carers. beyond their control. The youth being assisted are mostly aged between 13 and 17, but Sir Vinnie said some in care And now imagine lawyer Vincent Shin, Sir Vinnie as heshave been as young as eight years old.known, walking through the door. He explains that you have legal rights, that you have agency, and that there areResidential care homes, as an option, are often seen as levers you can pull to stand up for yourself in the situationa last resort, he explained. In this pilot, supported and you are in, or have been in. made possible by the Newsboys Foundation, were looking to provide legal advice, representation and education to Just that knowledge alone could be life changing, evenchildren in this care, or coming out of it, and an important before you get to questions of whether a young person indistinction is that we go to them, they dont have to seek this scenario might be entitled to compensation or legalus. Its new terrain and we have to tread very carefully recourse. because of the complexity of the lives of kids in this care.10NEWSBOYS FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT 2022'