Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of parenting orders issued in each year since 2010.

Youth offending teams (YOTs) assess children engaging in or at risk of offending behaviour and determine whether parenting programmes or parenting contracts are needed to improve the guidance provided by parents and guardians to their children. The number of parenting orders issued by courts in England and Wales has declined steadily over the last ten years. As an alternative to parenting orders YOTs often prefer where possible to engage and build strong relationships with parents on a voluntary basis. Parents often engage readily and take part in specific parenting support activities.

The 2016 David Lammy review of racial disproportionality in the criminal justice system highlighted that YOTs lack confidence in the efficacy of parenting orders and discourage their use.

The number of parenting orders issued in each year since 2010 is as follows: