National Protocol to prevent the unnecessary criminalisation of children in care

I welcome the Government’s commitment to strengthening the National Protocol to prevent the unnecessary criminalisation of children in care. This is a vital move to ensure that vulnerable young people are treated with understanding, not pushed into the justice system for behaviours that would be managed within a family setting.

But here’s the reality: more than half (52%) of children in care have a criminal conviction by age 24, compared to just 13% of those who have never been in care. That’s a staggering gap that speaks volumes about the systemic challenges we face.

Ambition alone isn’t enough. Local authorities are already under immense pressure, and delivering the targeted support these proposals call for—such as trauma-informed care, mentoring, and multi-agency collaboration—requires significant investment.

Without clear funding commitments, these plans risk remaining aspirations rather than reality. If we truly want to change outcomes for care-experienced children, we must match policy with resources. Councils need the tools to provide the right support at the right time. Anything less will fail the very children this review seeks to protect.