AYJ feeds in to the Civil Society Alternative Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child

AYJ has responded to the Children’s Rights Alliance for England’s (CRAE) call for evidence on the UK’s adherence to its obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child are set to examine the UK on its obligations in 2023, providing an important opportunity for civil society to highlight concerns to the UK government and the UN Committee surrounding children’s rights, recommendations for change, and to track progress. The last review of the UK was in 2016.  

CRAE is leading this process on behalf of civil society in England, and invited evidence on key developments since 2020 to inform its submission. More information on the examination process and reports so far is available here. 

You can read the AYJ’s full written evidence here. AYJ’s Policy Manager Millie Harris also provided oral evidence, and sits on CRAE’s expert reference group to inform the process.  

AYJ’s response covers a range of issues impacting the rights of children in or at risk of entering the youth justice system, including: the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Police Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act and other recent legislation, a lack of action to tackle racial disparity, and concerns around harmful policing practices, child criminal exploitation, sentencing and remand, and children's experiences in custody. 

The response highlights that vulnerable children in contact with the youth justice system are still not being prioritised by the government, even following the disturbing deficiencies in welfare provision and humane care laid bare during the pandemic. We discuss continued deficiencies in ensuring children in contact with the law are treated as children, and in developing a distinct welfare-based youth justice system.  

We draw attention to how the pandemic exacerbated delays in case progression, particularly impacting children on remand and those turning 18. The response sets out evidence on racial disparity at key points of the justice system including in policing, sentencing and remand and in custody, including highlighting concerns about the ‘adultification’ of ethnically minoritized children. 

Furthermore, we highlight that custody is not currently being used as a last resort, or for the shortest possible period - and recent policy developments move the system further away from achieving this. Concerns are also detailed surrounding the new Serious Violence Duty’s focus on enforcement and criminal justice, as opposed to the safeguarding of children.   

Read more here.