Mission: To support young people who have been arrested
Funding: 120,000 a year from local youth offending teams
The law requires that anyone under the age of 17 who has been arrested by police is allowed an "appropriate adult" present while they are questioned. Normally this would be a parent or guardian, but if they cannot or will not attend, a suitable alternative has to be found.
Youth charity Rainer provides the service in south London, operating in police stations in Greenwich and Lewisham. Unlike other services, which may use professionals as appropriate adults, Rainer uses local volunteers.
Jackie Adelaide, London services manager for Rainer, says: "There are services I know where appropriate adults is run by private companies, using solicitors. While I'm sure that is fine, what Rainer brings is the involvement of the local community as a solution to some of the problems that they have."
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