Child First: Developing a New Youth Justice System

Foreword by Rt Hon Mark Drakeford MS
Foreword by Charlie Taylor
Foreword by Keith Fraser
Contents
Notes on Contributors
1 Introduction
The Socio-Historical Trajectory of Youth Justice Responses to Children When They Offend
The Increasing Hybridity of Contemporary Youth Justice in the Western World
From ‘Children First, Offenders Second’ to ‘Child First’
Principled Positivity Takes Root: CFOS Finally Comes to England (2015 to Present Day)
Child First as a Principled Philosophy, Not a Reductionist Model
Structure of the Book
References
Part I Child First: Challenging Youth Justice Systems
2 Challenging Punitive Youth Justice
A Site of Unresolved Tension
The Social Construction of Youth Crime and the Child to ‘Offender’ Transition
Welfare and Justice—Or Punishment?
The Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility—And Punishment
Youth Justice Sanctions—And Punishment
Child Incarceration—And Punishment
Conclusion
References
3 Challenging the Risk Paradigm: Children First, Positive Youth Justice
The Emergence of ‘Evidence-Based’ Risk Management as Youth Justice
The Emergence of Neo-correctionalist Risk Management
The Risk Factor Prevention Paradigm: Risk Management in Practice
From Risk Management to ‘Children First, Offenders Second’
The Evolution of Positive Youth Justice: Challenging Risk-Based ‘Negative’ Youth Justice
Child-Friendly/Appropriate (Not Adulterised)
Diversion and Minimum Necessary Intervention (Not Punishment- or Welfare-Based)
Promoting Positive Behaviours and Outcomes (Not Prioritising Preventing Negatives)
Evidence-Based Partnership (Not Adult-Centric Programme Fetishism)
Responsibilising Adults (Not Responsibilising Children)
‘Child First’ Positive Youth Justice
References
4 Challenging Historical Populism—Children First, Offenders Second: From Concept to Policy
The Emergence of the Concept of Children First, Offenders Second
‘Historical’ Populism
Emerging Themes
Children First, Offenders Second—A Philosophy
Moving into Practice: The Developing Evidence Base
Bureau
Letting Go of the Past
YJB Cymru and Child First—Introduction
Influencers
The Voice of Influencers
The Position in Wales
Child First—Finding Its Feet
Child First in Wales
Evidence in Policy
The Future for Child First
References
5 Child First and Children’s Rights: An Opportunity to Advance Rights-Based Youth Justice
Introduction
Children’s Rights and Youth Justice
Early Origins of the Rights-Based Approach
The Convention on the Rights of the Child
Implementing the CRC
The Strengths of International Standards
Gaps and Weaknesses
Child First
Strengths and Weaknesses of Child First
Child First from a Children’s Rights Perspective
Giving Child First a Rights-Basis
Conclusion
References
Part II Child First: Developing Youth Justice Policy
6 Developing Child First Youth Justice Policy in England and Wales—A View from Inside the YJB and Westminster
Foreword: ‘An insider’s Perspective’
What Do We Mean by ‘Child First’ Youth Justice? A Search for Origins
Developing a ‘Child-Focused’ Youth Justice Policy and Practice from 2009 to 2013
The Evolution of New Labour Youth Justice Policy and the Youth Crime Action Plan, 2008–2010
The incarceration of children and the development of a distinctive approach from the YJB
Developing a More ‘Child-Focused’ Youth Justice
The First Two Years of Youth Justice Policy Under the Coalition
Localism and Devolution
Review of Asset
Cutting Spending
Abolition of the YJB?
The Second Phase of Youth Justice Policy Under the Coalition
What Stage in the Development of a ‘Child-Focused’ Youth Justice Policy had Been Reached by April 2013?
Conclusion: What Might Be Learnt from This Period for Youth Justice Policy and Practice Today?
References
7 Developing Child First as the Guiding Principle for Youth Justice
Introduction
Background: The Challenge of Navigating a Child First Policy
Initiating the Policy-Level Development of Child First
The Formulation of the Child First Principle: Concepts, Considerations and Concerns
Preamble
Child First Tenet 1
Child First Tenet 2
Child First Tenet 3
Child First Tenet 4
The Challenge of Embedding Child First into Wider Policy
Internal Development of Child First
Public Presentation and Consultation
Stakeholders’ Concerns About Child First
‘Child First’ and the Status of Victims
‘Minimal Intervention’ and Complex Needs
‘Future-Focused’ and Interventions Looking Back
‘Child First’ and Staff Authority
Conclusion
References
8 Child First in the Criminal Courts
Introduction
Tenet 1: Seeing Children as Children: The Fora for Determining Children’s Criminal Responsibility
Recognising Children’s Particular Needs, Capacities, Rights and Potential: The Need for Child-Focused, Child-Specialist Legal Professionals
Recognising the Child’s Rights and Potential in Child-Focused Criminal Proceedings: The Problem with Delays
Recognising Children’s Rights: Tensions and Compromise
Prioritising Best Interests
Seeing Children as Children: Conceptual Limitations in Determining Criminal Responsibility
Tenet 2: Developing Children’s Pro-Social Identities for Positive Outcomes: Sentencing
Detention During Her Majesty’s Pleasure
Using Discretionary Spaces for Future-Focused Sentencing: Judicial Communication of Sentencing Remarks
Tenet 3: Collaboration with Children: Children’s Participation in Trial Proceedings
Tenet 4: Promoting Diversion and Reducing Stigma: Bail and Remand Decision-Making
The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment Act 2012 (LASPO): A Child First Framework?
Child First on Paper, But Not in Practice
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act: Diverting from Remand and Reducing Stigma?
Holistic Decision-Making
Concluding Comments
Bibliography
Part III Child First: Developing Youth Justice Practice
9 Child First: Thinking Through the Implications for Policy and Practice
Introduction
Part 1: Enablers and Barriers to Realising the Child First Principle in the Current Youth Justice and Children’s Services Environment
Working with Children or Dealing with Offenders?
The Child First Challenge to the ‘New Youth Justice’ Orthodoxy
Child First Developments Outside of the Youth Justice System
The Child First Challenge to Racial Disparities in the Youth Justice System
The Challenge to Embedding Child First within Current Arrangements for ‘Children’ and ‘Offenders’
Integrating Services: The Rationale and the Challenge
Challenges to Developing Child First Practice at a Local Level
Practical Barriers to Integrating Youth Justice Practice
Part 2: The Desired Future State
What Needs to be Done to Move Towards a Child First System?
Developing Child First Youth Justice Legislation and Policy
Child First Secure Care
Child First Inspection
Establishing a Child First Framework for Assessment and Case Management
In Focus: Child First Practice—YOT Systemic Assessment as an Alternative to AssetPlus
Why Pilot an Alternative to AssetPlus?
Developing Child First Local Responses
In Focus: Child First Practice—Lancashire Child and Youth Justice Service Diversion
Conclusion
References
10 The Place of Risk Within Child First Justice: An Exploration of the Perspectives of Youth Justice Practitioners
Introduction
Setting the Scene
The Policy Shift from Risk to Child First Narratives
Confusion at the Macro, Meso and Micro Levels of Youth Justice
Research Design
On the Ground—Resistance, Contradiction and Confusion
Resistance and a Culture of Fear
Contradiction and Bifurcated Practice
Confusion
Conclusion
Bibliography
11 Cementing ‘Child First’ in Practice
Introduction
Context
Youth Justice in England and Wales
Developments Towards More Child-Friendly Approaches
The Evolution of ‘Child First’ (for a Fuller Discussion, See Earlier Chapters)
Potential Barriers to Child First in Practice
Views, Attitudes and Experiences of Youth Justice Practitioners
Methodology
Challenges in Awareness and Understanding
Barriers, Challenges and Enablers of Achieving Child First in Practice
Conclusion
References
12 Embracing children’s Voices: Transforming Youth Justice Practice Through Co-production and Child First Participation
Introduction
Part 1: Responding to children’s Voice
In Focus: Voices of Professionals
Forms of Participation
In Focus: Relationship-Based Practice—Voices of Professionals
Theory and Practice of Co-production and Co-creation
In Focus: Voices of Professionals
Part 2: Participation in Practice: Navigating the Challenges
In Focus: Voices of Professionals
Child First Participation: Concerns and Remedies
In Focus: Voices of Professionals
Progressing Child First Peer Mentoring
In Focus: Voices of Professionals
Conclusion
References
13 Postscript—Progress and Challenges for Progressing Progressive Child First Youth Justice
The Progress of Child First
Challenges to Embedding Child First in Policy and Practice
For Academics
For Policymakers
At the Practice Level
At the System-Wide Level
Final thoughts—A ‘Bulwark’ Against Swinging Back and Provoking Action to Embed
References
Index