The Children’s Commissioner for England has published a report on family contact in youth custody in England and Wales. Data was collected from 430 children who were in youth custody settings. Findings include: only 56% of children received a visit from family or friends over a 4-week period in 2022 and visits were frequently cancelled due to understaffing and poor coordination. Recommendations include: the Youth Custody Service (YCS) should require every institution to appoint a member of the senior team responsible for children who have had social care status prior to entering custody and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) should consult on whether every child in custody should be considered a looked after child, as those remanded to custody are.
Visit the page: Family contact in youth custody
Download the report: Family contact in youth custody (PDF)
Source: Children’s Commissioner
Date: 29 March 2023
