COVID-19 Children and Families Collective Leadership Group - short-life group on under-18s in custody: report

Summary of Report

This report sets out:

• The Role and Remit of the Short-Life Group
• The work undertaken by the Short-Life Group to deliver improvements in the experience for under-18s in custody; and reduce the number of 18 year olds in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs).
• Recommendations for the Covid-19 Children and Families Collective Leadership Group (CLG) to consider. These are:
  • Recommendation 1: Undertake a Trauma Informed Review of the Young Persons Pathway to YOI
  • Recommendation 2: Recognising the needs and rights of the young person and support their understanding of court processes to ensure meaningful participation
  • Recommendation 3. Assess and review key policies through the lens of UNCRC and other human rights treaties
  • Recommendation 4: Identify and remove legal impediments to alternatives to remand and take immediate action where possible to remove under-18s from custody
• Context Briefing - Trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Justice System
• Annex 1 - Terms of Reference for Short-Life Group
• Annex 2 – Scottish Prison Service - Key Issues from data and evidence about young people in custody presented to the Short-Life Group in January 2022
• Annex 3 - Expert Review on Mental Health and Young Offenders: Opportunities to share information