AYJ position: YCS Children and Young People Strategy

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Written By Pippa Goodfellow

In early 2024 the Youth Custody Service (YCS) confirmed their intention to develop a strategy for the children’s secure estate. The AYJ and many of our members engaged directly with the YCS on the strategy’s development, and we held ongoing discussions with our members on what the strategy must contain and aim to achieve in order for it to be meaningful and successful.

This position paper pulls together the key recommendations that the AYJ and our members fed into the YCS during the strategy’s development. It sets out what we believe to be the essential elements of a strategic approach to children in custody, including:

  • Clear plans for the future estate, including commitment to close Young Offender Institutions (YOI) and the last remaining Secure Training Centre.

  • Steps to improve the safety and wellbeing of children in custody, and workforce culture.

  • Measures to improve outcomes and experiences for specific groups of children including racially minoritised children, girls, and children on remand.

  • Learning lessons from past experiences, new developments, and ways of working beyond HMPPS.

  • Improved measurement of performance and outcomes.

Pippa Goodfellow
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AYJ Comment: Children in Custody 2023-24: We must not let another year pass characterised by shocking, but no longer surprising, reports.