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Written question asked by Lord Judd (Labour) on Monday, 23 May 2016, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 7 June 2016. It was answered by Lord Nash (Conservative) on Thursday, 9 June 2016 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Children in Care: Criminal Proceedings

Question

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what comparative analysis they have conducted of the number of children in privately operated children's homes and those in other homes who become entangled in the criminal justice system, and what action they are taking as a result.

Answer

As at 31 March 2015, there were 4,390 looked after children in privately operated children’s home provision[1] of which 60 were looked after under a youth justice legal status[2]. A further 2,180 children were looked after in children’s homes not run by private sector providers (e.g. local authority or voluntary sector provision) of which 20 were looked after under a youth justice legal status.

The Government has asked Sir Martin Narey to undertake an independent review of children’s homes. As part of his review, Sir Martin will consider how to reduce any inappropriate criminalisation of children in children’s homes.

[1] Includes children in secure, regulated and unregulated children’s homes.

[2] Includes children remanded to local authority accommodation or to youth detention accommodation; children placed in local authority accommodation under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act; and those sentenced to a Youth Rehabilitation Order (Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008, as amended by Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, with residence or intensive fostering requirement).

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL209
Session
2016-17
Subjects
Criminal proceedings Children in care
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk