Changes for children who live in care

CHILDREN in care are 10 times more likely to be cautioned or convicted, research has shown, prompting the Government to pledge to look at how the state looks after vulnerable young people.

- AINE FOX

England Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said young people in care are "too often stigmatised, even sidelined" compared to their peers not in care and Justice Secretary David Lammy has vowed to make changes to ensure they are "treated as children, rather than criminals".

Almost half of children in care (49%) given a caution or criminal conviction came into contact with the justice system only after they went into care, according to a report from Dame Rachel's office.

It looks at how "care itself may be driving criminalisation by 'overpolicing' children's challenging behaviour", with Dame Rachel saying young people in care are often "considered hard cases".