Parents could lose benefits or face prison for child's crimes, minister says
The reforms to Parenting Orders could also see parents losing benefits, Jake Richards MP told the Times.
Parents may face loss of benefits or imprisonment if their children commit crimes, according to a Youth Justice Minister. Jake Richards, the Youth Justice Minister, stated that parents should be held accountable for their role in ensuring community safety. The government plans to enhance and broaden the Parenting Orders, which currently require parents or guardians to address their child's behavior through counseling sessions or face fines.
Richards clarified that prison sentences would only be used in the most extreme cases and would be at the discretion of judges. He described the proposed changes as part of a carrot-and-stick approach, emphasizing the importance of involving parents in the process of reforming young offenders. Critics argue that engaging parents voluntarily is more effective.
The government announced plans to strengthen parenting orders in May, with then Justice Secretary David Lammy stating that parents who fail to support efforts to address their children's behavior would face consequences. Courts are required to consider issuing Parenting Orders for children under 16 convicted of offenses, and for 16 and 17-year-olds if it helps prevent further crimes.
However, use of parenting orders has declined in recent years, from over 1,000 in 2009/10 to just 33 in 2022/23. The youth justice reform plans follow the findings of Phase One of the Southport Inquiry report, which revealed catastrophic failures by parents of the Southport killer and various agencies that missed clear opportunities to prevent the 2024 child murders.
Written by urgent.news from BBC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
