Councillors have raised concerns over the absence of detailed data concerning stop and search incidents involving children within Croydon's Youth Justice Plan for 2026-27. During a review by the Scrutiny Children & Young People Sub-Committee, the lack of specific figures broken down by ethnicity, age, and outcome for these incidents was highlighted.
The plan acknowledges an increase in stop and searches of children by 36%, rising from approximately 930 to 1,262 incidents. Councillor Rym Daoud noted that black and mixed children are more likely to be stopped in search and that the service continues to see an over-representation of black and mixed males.
She questioned how the partnership intends to address this disproportionality over the next 12 months, noting that the plan gives no figures.
Stuart Collins, Corporate Director for Children, Young People and Education, stated that while the data is held by the police, discussions are ongoing to challenge any disproportionality. Emma Carter, Service Manager of the local Youth Justice Service, added that the police are eager to work with the council on this. Actually, I have met with some of our children, they met with 13 of our children to talk about Stop and Search and their experience and their interactions with the police,
she said. I know that sounds like a really small number, but actually, it was important for their voices to be heard to think about local policing. And there was an action plan devised following that session that the police are working on and reviewing.
Councillor Daoud asked if the board could share the figures by ethnicity, age, and outcome, arrest, charge, or no further action. Mr Collins responded that that information is held by the police. We do look at that intermittently, and we do have discussions with police on this, but it's probably an answer for the police.
Ms Carter concurred, stating that the question around data certainly is one for the police.
Despite the increase in stop and searches, Ms Carter noted that the rate of no further action
has remained consistent, which she viewed positively. What you would expect to see is an increase in stop and search might actually decrease or increase the no further action, but actually it stayed consistent, which in my view is a positive,
she explained. However, specific figures for this rate or comparisons to previous periods or other boroughs were not provided.
Beyond the concerns about stop and search data, the committee was informed that Croydon's re-offending rates remain lower than the London and national averages. The Youth Justice Plan outlines progress in reducing the use of custody, with only two children currently on remand. Ms Carter explained that custody was used only when harm could not be managed otherwise, noting a significant reduction in children going into remand.
She added that there has been a reduction in children getting custodial sentences.
Regarding re-offending rates, Ms Carter stated that the service worked with 269 children in the previous year and continued to see reductions. However, Councillor Catherine Wilson questioned the lack of stability
in these figures. Ms Carter explained that re-offending rates are measured centrally by the Youth Justice Board (YJB) and involve a sustained period, making current snapshots difficult. She attributed fluctuations to multiple factors, including COVID-19 and summer holidays, but reiterated that Croydon consistently remained below the regional average.
Mr Collins added that you have to go backwards to come to today to see what the re-offending looks like because you can't predict what re-offending will look like on today because you have to go back a year. It's a rolling year at any one point to measure what the re-offending rate looks like.
Further details on the Youth Justice Plan can be found in the public reports pack for the Scrutiny Children & Young People Sub-Committee meeting on 20th October 2026. Public reports pack