Children in custody expected to double by 2025

THE number of children in custody will more than double in the next three years, according to a report by the National Audit Office.

This is despite the average number of children in custody falling by 73 per cent from 2011 to 2021.

The report said the rise was due to courts returning to work after the pandemic, as well as the Government’s new Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill and plans to boost police numbers.

It is expected that the number of 15 to 17-year-olds in young offender institutions will increase from 343 in July 2021 to 700 in July 2025, the report said.

This would be similar to pre-pandemic levels (737 children were in custody in 2019-20), but significantly lower than a decade ago – in 2010-11, 2,027 children were in custody in March.

The report also found that ethnic minority groups are overrepresented in young offender institutions. More than half – 53 per cent – of children in custody in the year ending March 2021 came from minority backgrounds, up from 32 per cent in 2011.

Black children accounted for 29 per cent of children in custody, compared with 18 per cent in the year ending March 2011.

The report found that around onethird of children in young offender institutions reported having a known mental health disorder, while many had other health problems and learning difficulties.

Boys made up 97 per cent of children in custody in 2021, but the report notes that while the proportion of girls is low, they have some of the most complex needs, and are likely to have experienced sexual and physical victimisation.