John Fassenfelt, chair of the association's Youth Courts Committee, said the problem is widespread.
"Our main concern is that we are being used to deal with minor offences," he said. "It has a major impact as far as the young person is concerned."
He said many care home staff are too eager to call the police in situations where a parent would normally deal with the problem on their own. Once the police are involved, they often have no choice but to prosecute.
Although many cases are thrown out, Fassenfelt said the problem could be contributing to the large number of young prisoners who have been in care.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
