The Youth Justice System's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications and impacts for policy, practice and justice-involved children

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During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be societal implications for all children. However, for those in the youth justice system the impacts are likely to be exceptional. A disproportionate number of these children have complex needs, are from BAME backgrounds, have experienced school exclusions, and many come from groups with generally worse outcomes than average, including those with exposure to adverse childhood experiences (Bateman, 2017). The youth justice system is facing a strange hiatus; on the one hand, criminal trials have been delayed and arrests are down, while on the other, existing issues of BAME disproportionality, mental health, domestic abuse and school engagement are areas of acute risk for justice-involved children. There is an urgent need to develop a clear understanding of the impact of the pandemic on these children and those who work with them. Indeed, there has been a lack of focus on this group both from a political and media perspective. We do know that the pandemic has had unprecedented implications and consequences for the youth justice system, from how professionals have had to adapt to remote working, the delay of criminal trials, and the safety of children in custodial settings. Liaising with our youth justice colleagues, we know that each stage of the youth justice system has responded differently. This project will bring together statutory partners, third sector organisations, senior national policy/decision-makers, and children with lived experiences. It will provide a unique opportunity to gather insight and to produce impactful recommendations. By involving and working with children in our project, we will address the usual top-down research hierarchies inherent in youth justice research and ensure that children's voices are prioritised.