Why work this way?
Firstly because children and young people have a right to participate in all matters affecting them wherever possible.
Article 12 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
State parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views, the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.
Secondly, policies and plans for services in the youth justice system are improved when based on consulting children and young people.
Thirdly, outcomes can be improved in practice where decision making, planning and evaluation processes involve the participation of the individual child or young person.
Much has now been written and debated on the advantages of involving
and consulting children and young people both in planning and running
services and in decision making processes, particularly in those decisions
which will impact on their own lives. Article 12 of the UN Convention
on the Rights of the Child enshrines the fundamental right of children
to have their views heard and in the UK subsequent policies have embedded
this right –this principle was established in the Children Act
1989, for example and it’s value is well proven in that context.
But children and young people are still not consulted in many areas that
impact on their lives, for example they have not right to appeal against
school exclusion or in some health contexts.
But what is ‘participation’ and what does ‘involvement’ mean in the day to day lives of children, young people and staff in the youth justice system?
It could be argued that the criminal justice system is one that is imposed
on children and where they have no real part in decision making processes.
But, in it’s most simple terms, participation is giving good information
to children and young people, listening to their views and opinions and
taking these into account as much as is possible in any decisions that
are made which will impact on their lives. Developing good information
giving tools and listening to children and young people will not only
establish good relationships and improve decision making but can produce
improved outcomes in other areas of work. For example, better information
and interaction with a young person on admission to custody is likely
to lead to better risk assessment. In turn, a young person who has a
clearer understanding of the system and feels that their views are valued
is less likely to be prone to self harm and more likely to cooperate
with the regime.