Written 10th September 2026 by Olliers Solicitors
When a team from Olliers Solicitors stepped out over the edge of Millers Dale Viaduct for a 100ft charity abseil, they were doing far more than taking on one of the Peak District’s most dramatic challenges.
The event was part of our commitment to the Greater Manchester Youth Network (GMYN) and the Seen, Heard, Diverted partnership, a three-year initiative designed to help prevent neurodivergent young people from being unnecessarily drawn into the criminal justice system.
Fundraising is an important part of that commitment. We are aiming to raise £30,000 over the course of the partnership to help build a prevention pathway for neurodivergent children and young people who come into contact with the youth justice system.
But the reason Olliers has chosen to work with GMYN goes much deeper than raising money.
As criminal defence solicitors, we see first-hand the devastating consequences when vulnerable people become caught up in the criminal justice system. Our lawyers regularly represent neurodivergent clients and understand how behaviours associated with autism, ADHD and other forms of neurodivergence can be misunderstood. Difficulty making eye contact can be seen as defiance. A sensory meltdown can be mistaken for aggression. Communication differences can be interpreted as non-compliance or a lack of remorse.
For a neurodivergent young person, those misunderstandings can have serious consequences. Research from University College London suggests that around 80% of children cautioned or sentenced through the youth justice system have special educational needs or are neurodivergent.
We want to do more than represent people after things have gone wrong
At Olliers, we care deeply about the people we represent. Our role will always be to provide the very best possible advice and representation to clients who find themselves under investigation or facing criminal proceedings. We know how frightening and overwhelming that experience can be, particularly for a vulnerable or neurodivergent young person and their family.
Through our work, though, we also see what happens when problems are not recognised early enough. Too often, a young person reaches us only after a situation has escalated – they may have been arrested, interviewed or even charged, and they and their family may already have experienced a system they struggle to understand.
Our partnership with GMYN is about changing that. We do not simply want to be there when someone is already in trouble. Where possible, we want to help prevent vulnerable young people from getting into trouble in the first place.
Working with young people before situations escalate
GMYN works with young people across Greater Manchester who face significant barriers in their lives. Seen, Heard, Diverted also brings in Respect for All and the GM Neurodiverse VCSE Collective, bringing together perspectives that rarely sit in the same room. Our lawyers see the consequences when a young person’s needs are misunderstood by the police or criminal justice system, while GMYN works with many of those same young people much earlier, supporting them to build confidence, resilience and the skills they need to navigate difficult situations.
Together, there is an opportunity to intervene before situations escalate. The three-year programme will focus on three key areas.
Supporting young people
The partnership will develop a prevention and rights-awareness programme co-produced with neurodivergent young people themselves. Using safe and engaging activity-led environments, including activities such as cycling and gaming, the programme will help young people understand their rights and develop practical ways to respond safely during high-pressure interactions with authority figures.
This isn’t about telling young people that they are the problem or that they need to change who they are. It’s about giving them information, confidence and practical tools to help them navigate situations that can otherwise become overwhelming.
Supporting parents and carers
Families can feel completely lost when their child comes into contact with schools, the police or the wider justice system. Through the partnership, parents and carers across all 10 Greater Manchester local authorities will have access to practical tools and face-to-face support to help them understand and navigate those interactions. For families dealing with a difficult situation, having the right information and support at the right time can make an enormous difference.
Helping professionals understand neurodivergence
The third strand focuses on the people who hold significant power over a young person’s future. A practical toolbox will be developed for police officers, solicitors and magistrates to improve understanding of neurodivergent behaviours and reduce the risk of harmful misunderstandings.
This matters because neurodivergence can present itself in ways that are easily misinterpreted by people who do not understand it. A young person may not respond in the way someone expects. They may struggle to process questions quickly, make eye contact or remain calm in an unfamiliar and highly pressured environment. Those behaviours should not automatically be treated as defiance, aggression or guilt – and better understanding among the professionals involved can change how a case unfolds for a young person.
Why the fundraising matters
The abseil was just one part of a much wider commitment from Olliers. We have already taken part in the Tatton Park 10k and have committed to a programme of fundraising throughout the three-year partnership, alongside providing funding and time to support and mentor young people directly. The money we raise will help support the development of the Seen, Heard, Diverted programme and its ambition to create a meaningful prevention pathway across Greater Manchester.
Keeping young people out of trouble
As criminal defence lawyers, we will always stand beside our clients when they need us. But the best possible outcome for a vulnerable young person is ensuring that they never need a criminal defence solicitor at all.
That is at the heart of why Olliers is working with GMYN. Seen, Heard, Diverted is about listening to young people, understanding their needs and helping them navigate a world that does not always understand them. It’s about supporting families, improving professional understanding, and preventing behaviours from being misread – and giving neurodivergent young people a better chance of being seen, heard, and diverted away from unnecessary involvement with the criminal justice system.
If you’d like to support the £30,000 fundraising target or find out more about the partnership, get in touch with Olliers or GMYN directly or donate at Just Giving.
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