What do children and young people in Wales want to know about the law today? And how do they want to access legal support when they need it?
These were the questions behind our recent survey of 143 young people aged 11–17. Their responses provide a valuable snapshot of how children understand the law, what kinds of legal problems they encounter, and what support they feel is missing. While similar research carried out eight years ago highlighted significant gaps in legal education and access to legal information in Wales, the latest findings help us understand how children’s needs and expectations are evolving.
Above all, the results show that young people want practical knowledge about the law that connects to the issues they face in everyday life.
What children say about the law in their lives
When asked how the law affects their lives, responses were mixed. Only a small group said the law affects them every day (15 respondents), while 27 said it sometimes does. The majority felt the law rarely affects them (50) or has no impact on their lives at all (35).
This finding is particularly interesting when compared with earlier research on public legal education in Wales. Previous surveys suggested that many young people believed the law played a much more visible role in their daily lives, with just under half saying it affected them every day.
The contrast may reflect how children continue to experience legal frameworks – through school rules, online activity, family relationships, and public services ,without necessarily recognising them as “legal” issues. This gap between lived experience and legal understanding remains a consistent theme across both studies.
Everyday problems with legal dimensions
Although many respondents said the law rarely affects them, a significant minority reported encountering situations where legal advice could have helped.
Twenty-eight young people said they had experienced a problem that required legal advice. The most common issues included trouble in school (16 responses), problems online (12), contact with the police (9), mental health issues (8), family relationship difficulties (8), and experiences of abuse or neglect (8).
These issues are not unusual in the context of children’s lives. Schools, digital spaces, and family environments are where young people spend most of their time, and these are also areas governed by legal rights and responsibilities.
Eight years ago, our research found that children often associated legal issues primarily with police or criminal justice, even though many of their actual legal needs related to education, family law, or support services.
The latest survey suggests that this pattern still exists, but it is also clear that new issues – particularly those connected to online life – are becoming increasingly prominent.
What children want to know about the law now
One of the most valuable insights from the survey is the range of topics young people say they would like legal information or advice about.
Trouble in school and mental health were the most commonly selected areas (both 26 responses). Young people also expressed interest in learning about online issues (20), discrimination (18), family relationships (14), abuse (11), homelessness (10), additional learning needs (9), and life in the care system (8).
These topics reflect the real pressures facing young people today. They also highlight how legal issues for children are often intertwined with education, welfare, housing, and health.
Importantly, the responses show that young people are not simply interested in legal rules or processes. They want information that helps them understand their rights and navigate difficult situations when they arise.
Access to advice: digital, trusted and flexible
The survey also explored where young people would go if they needed legal advice.
Digital platforms were the most popular option.
- 78% said they would use the internet to find information
- 30% selected WhatsApp
- 17% web chat
- 23% phone line
At the same time, personal relationships remain crucial. More than half said they would seek advice from a parent, carer, or guardian (55). Some respondents also preferred visiting an information centre in person (32).
These responses highlight the importance of multiple pathways to support. Young people clearly value online resources that are easy to access, but they also rely on trusted adults and physical spaces where they can ask questions and receive guidance.
This combination of digital and human support echoes wider research on legal literacy in Wales, which emphasises that accessible information must go hand in hand with opportunities to obtain advice and assistance when needed.
Learning about the law: strong demand from young people
Another key message from the survey is that many young people want to learn more about the law.
Eighty respondents said they would like to learn about the law in Wales. Schools were identified as the most effective place to do this, with 80 respondents selecting face-to-face sessions in school as the best way to learn.
This suggests that embedding legal education within the school environment, either through curriculum materials, workshops, or external partners, would be the most effective and equitable approach.
Other options included learning through youth clubs or community settings (42), the internet (52), and apps (25).
When asked about teaching methods, young people showed a strong preference for interactive and engaging formats. Interactive workshops were the most popular approach (83 responses), followed by videos (66). Podcasts, fact sheets, and newsletters were less popular but still considered useful supporting materials.
These findings align closely with earlier research into legal education in Wales, which also found strong support for delivering legal education through schools and interactive activities such as workshops, debates, and role play.
However, the continued demand for this type of learning suggests that opportunities remain limited and uneven.
Young people want to shape the laws that affect them
The survey also explored whether young people want to participate in shaping laws and policies that affect their future.
A majority of respondents (66) said they would like opportunities to be involved in developing campaigns or influencing policy. This reflects growing recognition that children and young people should play a meaningful role in decisions that affect their lives.
Participation in law and policy discussions can also be a powerful way of building legal understanding and confidence. When young people see how laws are made and how their voices can influence change, they gain a deeper appreciation of how the legal system works.
Reflecting on progress
Eight years ago, research into public legal education described Wales as a “PLE desert”, highlighting fragmented provision and limited coordination in legal education and information for children and young people.
While important initiatives have emerged since then, the findings from this latest survey suggest that many of the underlying challenges remain. Legal education is still not consistently embedded in children’s learning, and access to reliable information about rights and legal processes remains uneven.
At the same time, the voices of young people in this survey point to clear opportunities. They want practical knowledge about the law, delivered in engaging ways, in places they already spend time – especially schools and online environments.
They want information about issues that matter to them now: education, mental health, online safety, discrimination, and family life. And they want ways to ask questions and seek help when problems arise.
Listening to what children say
The most important lesson from this research is simple: children know what they need.
Their responses show curiosity about the law, a desire to understand their rights, and a willingness to engage with the systems that shape their lives. By listening to these voices – and building services, education, and policy around them – we can begin to close the gap between the law as it exists and the law as children experience it.
Eight years after the first research highlighted the need for stronger legal literacy in Wales, young people are once again telling us the same thing: knowledge about the law matters, and they want the tools to understand it.