A significant shift in how society supports vulnerable young people could be on the horizon, as experts call for preventative measures rather than punitive approaches for children in care who exhibit challenging behaviour.
The Problem of Criminalisation
Professor Mike Stein from the University of York has responded to proposals that could transform how looked-after young people are treated when they lash out. Rather than automatic arrest, which has been standard practice, new thinking suggests diversion from the youth justice system may better serve their future careers and life chances.
International research consistently demonstrates that preventing young people's involvement in crime altogether proves far more effective than dealing with the consequences after they've entered the criminal justice system.
Protective Factors That Make a Difference
Evidence points to several crucial factors that significantly reduce the likelihood of young people in care becoming involved in criminal activity. These protective elements include stable family foster care placements where children can form lasting attachments and feel secure.
Educational achievement stands as another critical component, with doing well at school providing structure, purpose and future opportunities. Additional supportive measures include extending foster care placements beyond 18 years of age, recognising that many young people need continued support into early adulthood.
Other vital factors highlighted by research include maintaining positive relationships with birth family, extended family, partners and social networks. Being settled in appropriate accommodation upon leaving care and receiving comprehensive support from leaving-care teams also prove essential.
The Stark Reality and Potential Solutions
Professor Stein emphasises that for too many young people in care, these crucial opportunities are either completely lacking or inconsistently provided. This failure persists despite substantial evidence detailing their unnecessary involvement in the criminal justice system and the very poor outcomes that frequently follow.
The human cost to these vulnerable young people and the financial cost to society are both significant, as detailed in Lord Laming's 2016 review "In Care, Out of Trouble", published by the Prison Reform Trust. This landmark report highlighted the urgent need for systemic change in how society supports and protects children in care.
As the government considers restricting the 'over-policing' of looked-after young people, the evidence clearly points toward investment in stable care environments and educational support as the most effective way to break the cycle of criminalisation and create better futures for vulnerable children.
