England and Wales plan to strengthen parental orders — The Guardian
In England and Wales, parents or guardians of children who have committed an offence could, under certain circumstances, lose social benefits, receive a fine or be jailed. This was stated by Youth Justice Minister Jake Richards amid government plans to strengthen and expand the use of parental orders, The Guardian reports.
According to Richards, the youth justice system should proportionately hold parents responsible for their role in maintaining community safety. He noted that parents could be imprisoned only in the “most extreme cases,” while a judge would decide on the punishment.
Parental orders
Such orders may require parents or guardians to work on a child’s behaviour, including by attending counselling or, in certain cases, residential courses. Breaching a parental order is a criminal offence and may be punishable by a fine of up to £1,000.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Courts must consider making an order if a child under the age of 16 has been found guilty of an offence. For teenagers aged 16–17, a court may also apply such a measure if it considers that this would help prevent further offences. An order may not last longer than 12 months.
Criticism of the proposals
Criminal justice experts have criticised the plans, saying that the orders may be ineffective and disproportionately affect low-income families. Nikki Rutter, an assistant professor at Durham University who researches children’s behaviour, has said that there is a substantial body of evidence showing such measures are ineffective.
According to government statistics, the number of parental orders fell from more than 1,000 in 2009/10 to 33 in 2022/23. An article in the Youth Justice Journal also noted that there has been little research into the impact and effectiveness of these orders, despite their introduction in 1998.
