Call for better measures to protect young offenders

Bob Reitemeier, chief executive of the Children's Society and member of the Youth Justice Board (YJB), which oversees safeguarding in youth offending teams (YOTs) and the secure estate, said he is not satisfied with progress in safeguarding young offenders.

"We need to look at the work of social workers within children's services and youth justice," he said. "I think their skill and expertise needs to be brought to the forefront."

Mike Thomas, chair of the Association of Youth Offending Team Managers (AYM), said he believes social workers should play a more prominent role in youth justice. But Di Hart, principal officer for youth justice and welfare at the National Children's Bureau, said the issue goes deeper. "When talking about safeguarding for these young people there is harm, self-harm, harm from peers and harmful adults. The older a child gets the harder people find it to fit them into safeguarding systems."

Hart also said key statistics on the numbers of children under the supervision of YOTs who die each year are not made publicly available.

The concerns have been backed by Conservative shadow justice minister David Burrowes. He said: "My concern with the youth justice system is that it is increasingly being dealt with in an adult-centric way — not looking to the particular needs of children and young people."