CYP Now - NCB Now: Comment - Young offenders have a right to have their say

Young offenders have the same right to have their views taken into account as other children and young people. However, an NCB report, Young People's Participation in the Youth Justice System, has found a number of barriers to participative approaches in youth justice services, despite evidence that young offenders who have a say in decisions are more likely to have better outcomes overall.

The report suggests that negative public perceptions of young offenders have led to political ambivalence as to whether they "deserve" a say, while staff culture and commitment and a lack of training can further hinder meaningful contributions by young people in their own assessments. Furthermore, young offenders have low expectations about their ability to influence the plans made for them, despite welcoming the opportunity to have more say.

While some services have developed their own initiatives, the report recommends that the Youth Justice Board (YJB) lead the process by developing a participation strategy covering all aspects of the system. It is imperative that such a strategy sets up mechanisms that support the development of a culture of participation. In response to the report, the YJB has said that the board will consider its approach to participation and regard the development of such a strategy as a high priority.

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