Howard League welcomes new government initiative to stop the criminalisation of children in care

The Howard League for Penal Reform has responded to government plans to review ‘National Protocol’ guidelines to stop the criminalisation of children in care, announced today (Monday 17 November).

The government has announced it will review how the state looks after vulnerable young people and at what more can be done to stop disproportionate numbers of vulnerable young people living in care from being criminalised.  

The review intends to make sure care leavers and their families get the support they need rather than criminal sanctions for less serious incidents, and will ask how local authorities, schools and police can better work together to identify children at risk of being dragged into crime and offer targeted support. 

The Howard League for Penal Reform previously undertook a programme of work to end the criminalisation of children living in residential care, supported by an advisory board. The programme published six briefings and was critical in reducing numbers the criminalisation of children in care. In March 2014, 610 children (15 per cent) had been criminalised in the previous year and by March 2020, that annual figure had fallen to 280 children (5 per cent).  

We first published a scoping briefing in 2016, revealing 15 per cent of children living in residential care had been criminalised in the year ending March 2014. That figure dropped to 5 per cent by 2020 – meaning children in children’s homes were three times less likely to be criminalised than before over the course of our programme of work. 

Andrew Neilson, Director of Campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “The Howard League has long advocated that children in residential care need nurture and support, not repeated contact with the police.  

“Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive and realise their potential, and we must do all we can to ensure they are not held back by a criminal record. 

“It has been some years now since existing National Protocol guidelines were introduced and the Children’s Commissioner is right to suggest these guidelines can be reviewed and strengthened. With care leavers still making up a disproportionate number of people in prison, this is a timely opportunity to look again at how we can stop the criminalisation of vulnerable young people in the care system.”

Notes to editors 

1. The Howard League for Penal Reform is the oldest penal reform charity in the world. It is a national charity working for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison.
2. The Howard League undertook a programme of work to end the criminalisation of children living in residential care. You can find its briefings and further information on the programme on our website: http://howardleague.org/programme-to-end-the-criminalisation-of-children-in-residential-care/  

Contact 

Noor Khan
Press and Public Affairs Officer
Tel: +44 (0)20 7241 7873
Email: [email protected]