The UK government has announced a review of the National Protocol to prevent the criminalisation of children in care, aiming to ensure vulnerable young people receive support rather than face unnecessary criminal sanctions. Care leavers are disproportionately affected, being four times more likely to receive a conviction and ten times more likely to end up in prison compared to the general population. The review will explore how local authorities, schools, and police can better identify at-risk children and provide early interventions such as trauma counselling and peer mentoring to prevent justice system involvement.
The updated National Protocol will introduce stronger accountability measures for health services, schools, and police, ensuring consistent support for children in care and fair treatment compared to their peers. This initiative aligns with the Government’s Plan for Change and supports broader efforts under the Deputy Prime Minister’s Global Campaign on Children’s Care Reform, which seeks to improve care systems worldwide and offer care leavers better opportunities.
Ministers and officials emphasise that strengthening the Protocol will treat children in care as children rather than criminals, reducing long-term offending and potentially lowering the adult prison population by tens of thousands over time. The government will work to improve coordination across councils, schools, police, and other agencies, providing comprehensive care and opportunities for care-experienced young people. The revised Protocol is expected to be published in Spring 2026 and will update guidance from the 2018 version to reflect current best practices in trauma-informed and restorative approaches.
Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza highlighted that children in care are often criminalised for minor offences that would otherwise be addressed with understanding and support. The strengthened Protocol encourages professionals to consider how behaviour would be treated in a family setting and implement interventions to prevent repeated patterns that lead to justice system involvement. Overall, the review represents a decisive step toward reducing the disproportionate criminalisation of children in care while promoting their welfare, safety, and long-term opportunities.
