Children in residential care 'excessively criminalised'

The Howard League for Penal Reform said research it has conducted suggests that there is a systemic problem across England and Wales that leads children’s home staff to resort to the police, often over minor incidents.

It said the incidents would not come to the attention of police if they happened in family homes.

The Howard League report, Criminal Care: Children’s Homes and Criminalising Children reveals that some forces have been called thousands of times in the last three years.

Out of the 16 forces that provided figures for each of the last two financial years following a Freedom of Information request, there was a 14.12 per cent increase in incidents from 9,025 in 2013/14, to 10,299 in 2014/15.

However the Howard League said the data is not directly comparable – because some forces gave figures for call-outs for “missing” or “absent” children, others only information relating to reports of criminal behaviour.

The report also cites Department for Education statistics, which indicate that about four per cent of children aged between 10 and 12 who live in children’s homes have been criminalised, rising to more than 19 per cent among children aged 13 to 15.

Among 13- to 15-year-olds, children living in children’s homes are almost six times as likely to be criminalised as looked-after children in other placements – and almost 20 times more likely to be criminalised than a child not in care.

The report calls for more support to be given to looked-after children during their teenage years so that they are not pushed into the criminal justice system by homes that are supposed to be helping them.

The report states: “Levels of criminalisation of children in children’s homes increase dramatically between the ages of 13 and 15.

“The children who are being criminalised whilst teenagers are the same children who, when younger, were sympathetically viewed as vulnerable, innocent and highly deserving of society's help and protection.

“There appears to be a ‘tipping point’ around the age of 13, at which time these children lose society’s sympathy and, rather than being helped, they are pushed into the criminal justice system.”

Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “These children have been taken into care because they are in dire need and their parents cannot, or will not, look after them.

“They are wonderful young people who have had a really bad start in life. They deserve every chance to flourish.

“Private companies, charities and local authorities that are paid a fortune by the taxpayer should give these children what they need and deserve.”

Jonathan Stanley, chief executive of the Independent Children’s Homes Association, said children's homes are the most scrutinised and accountable service for young people, and are inspected “rigorously” twice a year.

"If training and competence were issues this would be raised in inspection. Inspection outcomes have risen yet again, according to latest figures,” he added.

"Children's homes are very careful as to the young people who they accept. Meeting their needs is paramount. This is closely looked at in inspection.

"It seems that what is being reported here is history. Police and children's homes work closely together and meet regularly in local areas.

"That's not to say there aren't some particular issues but this needs real life, detailed evidence in order for them to be understood.

Last year children and young people’s lead at the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC), Olivia Pinkney, called for greater leniency around children's home incidents.

She said local police services and children’s home providers must work together to reduce the number of times officers are called out to settings for what she described as minor incidents.