Intersecting inequalities: Child social care involvement and youth justice contact

Published: 31/10/2024

Videos exploring research on young people who have contact with the criminal justice system at different points of social care intervention and the double discrimination that Black children can face.

Young people with care experience are more likely to have contact with the criminal justice system. Less is known about what happens to those young people who are supported by children’s social care under child in need or on a child protection plan.

These videos discuss research on how the contact with the criminal justice system differs across different levels of children’s social care support and how outcomes differ between the local authorities of England.

Understanding the rates of contact with the criminal justice system for children involved with social welfare services in England

Dr Anna Leyland is an Administrative Data Research UK funded Research Fellow at the University of Sheffield. Her work looks at the role of the family, communities, public services and poverty in shaping how a child develops, their experiences during childhood, and as they grow into adults.

Care experience, ethnicity and youth justice involvement in England

Dr Katie Hunter is a Lecturer in Criminology at Manchester Metropolitan University. Katie explores the relationship between care experience, ethnicity and youth justice involvement in England, which highlights the stark injustices. Katie draws on both qualitative and quantitative methods to understand the relationship between care experience and justice systems involvement, with a focus on the intersections with gender and ethnicity.

Black care-experienced young people navigating the criminal justice system

Nicola Smith who is a Senior Policy Adviser at Barnardo’s. Nicola outlines findings from qualitative research the charity has done in partnership with research agency Listen Up looking at the lived experience of Black care leavers who have spent time in the prison system. She highlights lessons for policy makers from this work including recommendations aimed at ensuring both the care and criminal justice systems are better able to meet the needs of this group of young people.

Talking Points

These videos look at:

  • how the contact with the criminal justice system differs across different levels of children’s social care support and how outcomes differ between the local authorities of England.
  • the relationship between care experience, ethnicity and youth justice involvement in England
  • the lived experience of Black care leavers who have spent time in the prison system

Reflective questions

Here are reflective questions to stimulate conversation and support practice. 

  1. Are you surprised by the data presented? How can you use this in your practice with young people on an individual or organisational level?
  2. Which of the five findings by Barnado’s resonated most with you – what can you change about your practice in reflection of this?

You could use these questions in a reflective session or talk to a colleague. You can save your reflections and access these in the Research in Practice Your CPD area.

Challenging injustice

An animation has been developed as a research output by research fellows and Barnardo’s. Created by Popla Media, the hard-hitting animation was commissioned to mark the launch of two landmark reports from Barnardo’s and ADR UK that highlight the prevalence of young people from care who get caught up in the criminal justice system. The animation visualises what a life of increased racism, discrimination, exclusion and over policing can feel like.

Watch the video

Related resources

Professional Standards

PQS:KSS - The law and the family and youth justice systems | Shaping and influencing the practice system | Effective use of power and authority | Quality assurance and improvement | Designing a system to support effective practice

PCF - Rights, justice and economic wellbeing