Judges and sector leaders unite in push to prevent criminalisation of care leavers

Judges, youth advocates and sector leaders have gathered at the Old Bailey to explore new ways to prevent criminalisation of care leavers, focusing on how courts and agencies can better recognise the vulnerabilities and trauma that shape young lives. The session, held at the City of London Corporation-run Central Criminal Court, brought together senior sheriffs, experts and youth representatives for an unusually candid discussion about reform.

The event, led by City of London Sheriffs Keith Bottomley and Robert Hughes-Penney, took place only days after the Ministry of Justice confirmed a review into ending the automatic arrest of children in care who damage property or lash out. The direction of travel is clear: a shift away from reflex criminalisation and towards trauma-informed support.

At the centre of the discussion was the Pan-London Compact for Care Leavers, a cross-sector agreement designed to align courts, social services, police and youth organisations so that care-experienced young people receive consistent, appropriate support when they come into contact with the justice system.

Sheriff Keith Bottomley said:
“The law must be applied with fairness and understanding. This wide-ranging discussion was aimed at understanding how the unique circumstances of care-experienced young people should be recognised to help prevent unnecessary criminalisation.”

Speakers examined key issues including identification and information sharing, early intervention, prevention, diversion schemes and how best to support care leavers who find themselves before the courts. Much of the focus rested on the MOPAC protocol, relaunched last week and developed by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime. The protocol promotes a child-first approach and sets out practical guidance for officers, social workers and carers. Its revised version, expected this autumn, will widen its scope to include care leavers up to the age of 25.

Those reforms are expected to sit alongside broader legislative change, including proposals under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which would extend corporate parenting duties to every government department.

Helen Fentimen, Chair of the City of London Corporation’s Community and Children’s Services Committee, said:
“Care-experienced young people often face barriers that others do not. Reducing criminalisation is about giving them a fair chance to succeed and ensuring the system supports, rather than punishes, vulnerability.”

The agenda drew in contributions from the Pan London Children in Care Council and MOPAC, as well as insights from the West Midlands protocol, where regional agencies work collectively to steer young people away from the justice system. A working group, co-ordinated by the London Innovation and Improvement Alliance, will now bring these threads together as partners look to develop more targeted and evidence-led support across the capital.

Held during Care Leavers Month, themed this year around “Rising as Me”, the event also highlighted the role of research and youth advocacy. Sheriff Bottomley chairs Partnership for Young London, the capital’s regional youth unit, which provides training, sector support and data-led insight. The discussion also drew on wider evidence, including research on trauma-informed practice from independent organisations such as the Centre for Justice Innovation and youth support charities including Become, whose work on care-experienced young people is widely recognised.

The City of London Sheriffs continue to play a ceremonial and civic role within the Square Mile, strengthening links between the Corporation, the judiciary at the Old Bailey and organisations working to safeguard young people across London.

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