40 Years of Gillick: Legal and Clinical Reflections on Children as Decision‑Makers
Institute of Child Health & Wellbeing, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Merseyside, L12 2AP
Thursday 17th September 2026
A collaboration between Alder Hey’s Institute of Child Health & Wellbeing and the School of Law & Social Justice
Funded by the SLSA Seminar Series 2026
About the Event
The landmark decision in Gillick v West Norfolk and Wisbech Area Health Authority transformed how young people participate in decisions about their own healthcare. Four decades on, Gillick remains central to clinical practice, legal argument, and broader debates about children’s rights, autonomy, agency and privacy. Yet new challenges, from emerging clinical fields to evolving understandings of capacity and inequality, expose tensions in how the principle works on the ground. This one‑day interdisciplinary event brings together legal scholars and clinicians from all career stages, practitioners, and young people to reflect on the legacy, limits and future direction of Gillick in contemporary clinical and legal practice. Through discussion‑based sessions and collaborative exploration, the day aims to bridge socio‑legal research with real‑world practice, highlighting the barriers young people face in exercising meaningful autonomy over their health.
Key Themes
09.30- 10.00 Registration and Refreshments
10.00 – 10.15 - Welcome and Introduction
Dr Ed Horowicz, Professor Helen Stalford, Professor Marie Fox
10.15 – 10.45 - University of Liverpool CYPAG
What does Gillick mean to CYP?-Discussing the issues of awareness, the role of adults and the importance of trust.
10.45 - 12.15 - The Legacy of Gillick- Past, Present and Future – Chaired by Sir Mark Hedley
Keynotes with Q&A: 20 minute talk per speaker and 30 mins for Q&A
Lord Ian Burnett of Maldon- Former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
Professor John Tobin, Francine V McNiff Professor in Human Rights Law, University of Melbourne
Dr Liz Anderson Consultant in Sexual Health and Liverpool Lead for CSRH and Senior Nurse Colleague, Axess Sexual Health – Where it began, Gillick in Sexual Health
12.15 - 13.15 Lunch
Sessions 1-3 take the format of speakers addressing the topic in 10 min and then generating audience discussion. During each session we will develop a summary of issues and ideas of how we can situate socio legal research to benefit CYP and practitioners.
13.15 - 14.15 - Session 1: Dr Nico Brando (Chair)
Embedding Gillick in Practice: Perspectives from clinicians and legal professionals
Does Gillick facilitate a clear assessment for decision-making?
Does Gillick just reflect clinical best interest assessments?
What does a Children’s Right’s approach to analysing Gillick tell us?
Dr Louisa Draper, Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Clinical Ethics Forum member, Alder Hey Hospital.
Ben Troke, Partner, Weightman’s Solicitors
Professor Jo Bridgeman, University of Sussex
Professor Stephen Gilmore, University of Cambridge
14.15 - 14.30 Break and Refreshments
14.30 - 15.30 - Session 2: Professor Emma Cave (Chair)
How Should We Approach Young People’s Refusal of Treatment?
Can we reconcile Gillick with refusal with greater fairness?
Do parental and court powers undermine Gillick when the decision is refusal?
Can understanding Gillick through a relational assessment and decision-making lens better our approach to refusal?
Helen Ingleson and Chloe Moran, Partners, Irwin Mitchell
Dr Kirsty Moreton, Associate Professor of Law, University of Birmingham
Dr Kiloran Metcalfe, Speciality Trainee in Paediatric Surgery and PhD candidate University of Manchester
15.30 - 15.45 Break and Refreshments
15.45 - 16.45 Session 3: Dr David Taylor-Robinson (Chair)
Intersectionality and Vulnerabilities
How does Gillick intersect with religion, disability, gender, sexuality and socio-economic status?
What are the challenges for Gillick in public health policy and practice?
What are the challenges for Gillick and Neurodiverse CYP?
Professor Helen Stalford
Professor Aoife Daly
Lynsey Boggan - Clinical Lead for Neurodevelopmental Services Alder Hey Hospital and Jacqui Poynton – Associate Chief Nurse (Community and Mental Health)
16.45 – 17.00 Closing Remarks: Professor Helen Stalford
Closing the day and in particular thinking about co-produced and collaborative research going forward.
For more information, contact Dr Ed Horowicz
Places are limited and allocated to ensure that the event encompasses legal, clinical and academic
A small number of bursaries are available to Postgraduate students, please register via the PG ticket type using your student email address.
This event has been generously funded and supported by the Socio Legal Studies Association Seminar Series 2026
Funded by the SLSA Seminar Series 2026
About the Event
The landmark decision in Gillick v West Norfolk and Wisbech Area Health Authority transformed how young people participate in decisions about their own healthcare. Four decades on, Gillick remains central to clinical practice, legal argument, and broader debates about children’s rights, autonomy, agency and privacy. Yet new challenges, from emerging clinical fields to evolving understandings of capacity and inequality, expose tensions in how the principle works on the ground. This one‑day interdisciplinary event brings together legal scholars and clinicians from all career stages, practitioners, and young people to reflect on the legacy, limits and future direction of Gillick in contemporary clinical and legal practice. Through discussion‑based sessions and collaborative exploration, the day aims to bridge socio‑legal research with real‑world practice, highlighting the barriers young people face in exercising meaningful autonomy over their health.
Key Themes
- The evolution of Gillick since 1985 and its role in contemporary healthcare
- How competence is understood by clinicians, legal professionals and young people
- Challenges arising in areas such as vaccination, gender‑affirming care, mental health, and treatment refusal
- Inequalities affecting children and young people’s ability to exercise meaningful agency
- Integrating socio‑legal research into clinical practice
- Identifying new directions for collaborative research and policy impact
09.30- 10.00 Registration and Refreshments
10.00 – 10.15 - Welcome and Introduction
Dr Ed Horowicz, Professor Helen Stalford, Professor Marie Fox
10.15 – 10.45 - University of Liverpool CYPAG
What does Gillick mean to CYP?-Discussing the issues of awareness, the role of adults and the importance of trust.
10.45 - 12.15 - The Legacy of Gillick- Past, Present and Future – Chaired by Sir Mark Hedley
Keynotes with Q&A: 20 minute talk per speaker and 30 mins for Q&A
Lord Ian Burnett of Maldon- Former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
Professor John Tobin, Francine V McNiff Professor in Human Rights Law, University of Melbourne
Dr Liz Anderson Consultant in Sexual Health and Liverpool Lead for CSRH and Senior Nurse Colleague, Axess Sexual Health – Where it began, Gillick in Sexual Health
12.15 - 13.15 Lunch
Sessions 1-3 take the format of speakers addressing the topic in 10 min and then generating audience discussion. During each session we will develop a summary of issues and ideas of how we can situate socio legal research to benefit CYP and practitioners.
13.15 - 14.15 - Session 1: Dr Nico Brando (Chair)
Embedding Gillick in Practice: Perspectives from clinicians and legal professionals
Does Gillick facilitate a clear assessment for decision-making?
Does Gillick just reflect clinical best interest assessments?
What does a Children’s Right’s approach to analysing Gillick tell us?
Dr Louisa Draper, Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Clinical Ethics Forum member, Alder Hey Hospital.
Ben Troke, Partner, Weightman’s Solicitors
Professor Jo Bridgeman, University of Sussex
Professor Stephen Gilmore, University of Cambridge
14.15 - 14.30 Break and Refreshments
14.30 - 15.30 - Session 2: Professor Emma Cave (Chair)
How Should We Approach Young People’s Refusal of Treatment?
Can we reconcile Gillick with refusal with greater fairness?
Do parental and court powers undermine Gillick when the decision is refusal?
Can understanding Gillick through a relational assessment and decision-making lens better our approach to refusal?
Helen Ingleson and Chloe Moran, Partners, Irwin Mitchell
Dr Kirsty Moreton, Associate Professor of Law, University of Birmingham
Dr Kiloran Metcalfe, Speciality Trainee in Paediatric Surgery and PhD candidate University of Manchester
15.30 - 15.45 Break and Refreshments
15.45 - 16.45 Session 3: Dr David Taylor-Robinson (Chair)
Intersectionality and Vulnerabilities
How does Gillick intersect with religion, disability, gender, sexuality and socio-economic status?
What are the challenges for Gillick in public health policy and practice?
What are the challenges for Gillick and Neurodiverse CYP?
Professor Helen Stalford
Professor Aoife Daly
Lynsey Boggan - Clinical Lead for Neurodevelopmental Services Alder Hey Hospital and Jacqui Poynton – Associate Chief Nurse (Community and Mental Health)
16.45 – 17.00 Closing Remarks: Professor Helen Stalford
Closing the day and in particular thinking about co-produced and collaborative research going forward.
For more information, contact Dr Ed Horowicz
Places are limited and allocated to ensure that the event encompasses legal, clinical and academic
A small number of bursaries are available to Postgraduate students, please register via the PG ticket type using your student email address.
This event has been generously funded and supported by the Socio Legal Studies Association Seminar Series 2026
