Welcome to Intermediaries for Justice

Intermediaries for Justice is the professional body for intermediaries who work in the Justice Systems of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with police during investigations, and with lawyers in Crown, Magistrates and Family courts.

The primary purpose of IfJ is to increase awareness and understanding of intermediary work and to promote its use with vulnerable victims, witnesses, suspects and defendants. IfJ will foster a shared identity, enhance quality and practice, and provide links between intermediaries.

Intermediaries work in the Justice System to enable vulnerable witnesses, victims, suspects and defendants to give complete coherent and accurate evidence to police and at court. The primary role of intermediaries is to facilitate the communication of children and vulnerable adults with the justice professionals involved in investigations and trials.

Although each case is unique, parents and carers may find helpful a user-friendly summary of the typical sequence of events.

Intermediaries must have specialist knowledge of language and communication. Each has experience in certain areas including early child language and delay; and a range of disorders and difficulties such as learning and physical disability, autism and mental health problems.