Youth Custody

(asked on 24th June 2022) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether any young people under the age of 15 are being considered for transfer to youth facilities reserved for young people aged 15 to 18.


Answered by
Victoria Atkins Portrait
Victoria Atkins
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
This question was answered on 30th June 2022

All children and young people are placed within the Youth Secure Estate in the most appropriate, available accommodation that meets their needs. Each placement is subject to an individual risk assessment and is decided upon in line with the Youth Custody Service (YCS) Placement Guidance. Boys and girls aged between 12 and 18 years old are placed together at some establishments within the Youth Secure Estate.

Legally, there are no places exclusively reserved for 15- to 18-year-olds. However, the YCS Placements Guidance Policy guides the YCS Placements Team to generally only place children who are aged 15 years old or above into the Young Offenders Institution (YOI) sector. However, children aged under 15 could legally be placed into the YOI sector although this exceptional circumstance would have to be approved by senior officials.

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