There is current and ongoing concern regarding the potential criminalisation of looked after young people. To address these issues, CYCJ undertook a study which aimed to: gather more data about police contact for offending by young people in children’s houses; explore how practitioners make, and are supported to make, the decision to involve the police in incidents; and to survey what formal policies are in place within each local authority to aid decision making.
This report, written by CYCJ’s Kristina Moodie and Debbie Nolan, identifies the prevalent issues and tensions, and makes recommendations for going forward.