England's Children's Commissioner has issued a stark warning that the nation has retreated from its moral duty towards vulnerable children, with hundreds being unnecessarily locked up in a failing youth justice system.
Dame Rachel de Souza declared that custody is being used as a 'waiting room' for children who are being detained while awaiting trial or sentencing, not because they pose the greatest risk, but because the systems designed to support them are collapsing.
A System in Crisis
In her annual Longford Lecture, Dame Rachel called for the closure of all young offender institutions (YOIs) in England, stating we have become complacent about children in custody. "We have left a vacuum in the services that children need," she is expected to say. "Childhood is short and wild and precious. But once you're remanded into custody your innocence is gone."
New research from the commissioner's office reveals the shocking scale of the problem. In 2023-24, more than half (62%) of all children remanded to custody in England and Wales did not receive a custodial sentence. Even more concerning, 168 children (17%) had their cases dismissed altogether after spending time behind bars.
Violence and Systemic Failures
The call for reform is backed by alarming inspection reports from existing facilities. Ofsted reported "serious and systemic failures" at Oakhill Secure Training Centre in Milton Keynes, where 23 staff members were suspended over allegations about their conduct with children.
Feltham Young Offender Institution was deemed "the most violent prison in the country" in July 2024, with teenage inmates reportedly refusing family visits to keep their relatives away from danger. The facility was temporarily closed in August 2025 due to safety concerns.
The commissioner's report uncovered other troubling trends:
- The average length of time on remand in 2021-22 was 125 nights, an increase of 89% since 2013-14
- More than one in ten (14%) remand cases lasted for more than 182 days
- Children with foster care placements dropped from 13% in 2013-14 to just 5% in 2021-22
Disproportionate Impact on Minority Groups
The research also highlighted significant racial disparities within the youth justice system. In 2021-22, more than half (56%) of children remanded were from an Asian, black, mixed or other minority ethnic group.
The report states there is "an overrepresentation of black and mixed ethnic groups who receive a custodial remand than what is expected given the ethnicity of the child population." Additionally, a quarter of all children remanded into custody in 2021-22 had previously been remanded.
Dame Rachel has called for urgent reforms, including replacing YOIs with placements in secure homes or specialist foster care, arguing that the current system is failing both children and society.
