GovWire

All pre-sentence reports you prepare for court should include consideration of whether guidance for parents or carers is advisable to support the childs desistance. AssetPlus includes a parents self-assessment which should be used to inform this. If you take the view that parenting support is necessary, you should make every effort to engage the parents or carers in voluntary interventions before considering statutory measures.

Some youth justice services (YJSs) have specialised parenting officers, but it is recommended that case managers also develop and maintain good relationships with the parents and carers of the children they are supervising.

In all cases involving children under 16, the court is legally required to consider imposing a Parenting Order when a child is being sentenced. Often it is decided that a Parenting Order is not the most effective way to support a parent or carer, particularly where there are mental health and substance misuse issues; or the parent or carer is already engaging with support. If your assessment shows that such support is not necessary or appropriate, it is important that the pre-sentence report explains why not, to avoid unnecessary criminalisation of the parent or carer.

Although initial work will be to engage the primary carer for each child, you should also engage all those with parental responsibility. Research shows that women provide most of the parental care for children involved in the justice system. As a result, the focus of parenting support (whether voluntary or statutory) is more likely to be on mothers than fathers. You should consider what measures may be necessary to engage fathers (and others undertaking a fathering role) in positive parenting and ensure that services are relevant to them. Where there is more than one parent involved, you should ensure that both are equally engaged and make efforts to ensure there is a proportionate response to the primary care giver to avoid penalising them for undertaking the majority of parenting tasks.

Parenting workers and others who work with parents or carers should proactively contribute to the AssetPlus assessment to ensure that all relevant information is shared and of good quality so that the child has the best opportunity to meet their potential.

YJSs should work with defence solicitors to engage with parents to attend court where possible; or provide the court with statements or information as to why they were unable to attend. This should be done with all children; however, given the disproportionate outcomes experienced by children with a Black or Mixed ethnicity and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, it is of particular importance. Non-attendance at court may result in stereotyped assumptions and unconscious bias in decision making. You should explore potential barriers that might make it more difficult for parents and carers to attend court and provide support where possible to overcome these.

The children that you assess in the justice system are vulnerable to criminal exploitation. When you look at the impact of the parenting provided, you should decide whether assistance would help the parent or carer to improve the guidance and support they give their child. You should first consider:

• offering a voluntary intervention
• referring the parent or carer to services offered by third sector organisations or,
• referring them to other services which may be offered within the local authority such as Early Help

This may be in the form of:

• a parenting programme
• one-to-one sessions with a parenting worker
• sessions with a group of parents or carers in similar circumstances

You should always offer voluntary intervention before you consider making an intervention mandatory through the court.

Parenting work should be strengths based; recognising parents existing abilities and working to build on them rather than focusing on problems and shortcomings.

This online resource explains how parenting courses can offer support.

Exploitation is defined as using someone for another persons advantage. Children in the justice system are often exploited by older people, for activities such as selling drugs, holding weapons or sexual exploitation. Modern Slavery is when children are recruited, moved and coerced for the purpose of exploitation. It is important to note that the child may not recognise or agree that they are being exploited.

All parents should be made aware of the risks, factors and indicators of all forms of exploitation and Modern Slavery. These should be highlighted to improve their understanding of their childrens circumstances and allow them to provide support to help support desistance.

A Parenting Contract is a voluntary agreement entered into by the parent, parents or carers o

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