Youth Justice News

Abstract

A review of literature on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on children in conflict with the law, in England and Wales, has found that the consequences for children were ‘devastating’. Outcomes for those from disadvantaged and marginalised communities, including children subject to youth justice intervention, have been particularly negatively impacted. The review, published by the Alliance for Youth Justice, an umbrella group for non-statutory organisations with an interest in promoting change in policy and practice for children in the youth justice system, captures relevant literature from the imposition of the first UK lockdown in March 2020 to July 2021. It concludes that government responses to the pandemic frequently failed to distinguish between adults and children, leading to a reduced focus on the impact of policy and practice changes on those below the age of 18 years, and marginalised children in particular. Drawing on a range of sources, the authors demonstrate that children have been disproportionately affected by the crisis associated with Covid-19, with those from disadvantaged backgrounds, including racialised minorities, most severely affected. Families on low incomes have experienced growing debt, and the number of children in poverty is expected to increase. Educational provision has been disrupted across the board, but the shift for many to online teaching has exacerbated existing inequalities. Disadvantaged children were less likely to have access to high quality Internet provision, books and other learning materials or space in which to study. The consequences of the pandemic for children’s mental health are considerable with research indicating that social isolation is particularly damaging for children’s psychological and emotional development. Such concerns are reinforced by the fact that 83 per cent of children surveyed reported that their mental health had got worse during the pandemic and 67 per cent feared that this negative impact would have long-term repercussions. Children in care and care leavers have been