“Delivering the Best for Girls in Custody” Review: Government Response

Jake Richards Excerpts

Tuesday 11th November 2025 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Jake Richards)]

Today, I am pleased to announce the publication of the Government’s response to Susannah Hancock’s independent review, “Delivering the Best for Girls in Custody”. This marks a significant shift away from a system historically designed for boys, and towards one that recognises and addresses the distinct needs of girls.

This review has provided a vital opportunity to reflect on the experiences of some of the most complex and vulnerable children in our justice system. The Government welcome the review’s findings and are grateful to Susannah for her work, as well as all those who contributed, including the girls themselves, professionals, and stakeholders.

In March 2025, my hon. Friend the Member for Scunthorpe (Sir Nicholas Dakin) took decisive action to end the use of young offender institutions for girls, ensuring that no girl is placed in a setting unable to meet her needs. This was the right decision and a vital first step in improving the experiences of girls in youth custody.

Our response, published today, sets out a comprehensive programme of reform. We are piloting an enhanced placement protocol, designed to provide registered managers of secure children’s homes with peer support and accountability in making placement decisions for girls. We are strengthening the national pathway for girls, with new training and guidance to equip staff to deliver the highest standards of care and support. I have also established, and will chair, the girls in youth justice advisory board, and appointed a strategic lead to ensure sustained progress in improving outcomes for girls across the youth justice system.

Beyond custody and more broadly, we are committed to expanding specialist youth justice intensive fostering, working with local authorities to develop remand fostering programmes. This will ensure that intensive fostering is more widely available to girls at risk of entering custody. My Department is running remand pilots in West Yorkshire, Kent, and Greater Manchester, trialling new approaches to remand funding and diverting children away from custodial remand. The Department for Education is also developing new accommodation for children at risk of being deprived of their liberty, which will create new community alternatives for children at risk of youth custody, including girls with the most complex needs.

The Government remain committed to continuous improvement, partnership, and delivering meaningful change for girls in the youth justice system. I commend the Government response to Parliament and encourage all interested parties to read the full document for further detail on our commitments and next steps.

The full Government response, which sets out our commitments, is available on gov.uk. I will place a copy of the Government response to “Delivering the Best for Girls in Custody: An independent review into the placement and care for girls in the Children and Young People Secure Estate” in the Library of the House.

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