Redbridge Council's Children and Young People Committee has reviewed progress on its Youth Justice Strategic Plan (2026-2029), which aims to tackle disproportionality within the system. The plan highlights a record low of 40 first-time entrants to the youth justice system in 2025-26, with serious violence offences reducing by 42% over three years.
However, the committee heard that disproportionality persists, particularly for children from black and mixed heritage backgrounds. Mixed heritage children remain the most overrepresented group among first-time entrants. When writing pre-sentence reports for the youth court, the council draws the court's attention to the fact that there is disproportionate sentencing for black and mixed heritage children in the system.
Daniel Phelps, Executive Director for Children's Services, acknowledged that discrimination exists within the system. He stated that as a local authority, we have to really hold the mirror up to ourselves and look at our own practice and look at making sure that we can be absolutely sound and ethically sound about our practice and making sure it's inclusive, anti-discriminatory, anti-racist practice within the work of all of our services.
The effectiveness of these practices is being evaluated through the priority of Equity and disproportionality,
which aims to Challenge unequal outcomes and barriers.
Councillor Aksala Patel had requested further information on reports and policies related to embedding anti-racist practice in youth justice, including discrimination based on mental health and SEND. It was confirmed that this information would be provided to the committee. The committee was also encouraged to consider how children and families can have greater influence, whether arrangements are sufficient to respond to identified needs, and how actions will address disproportionality and improve fair access to support.
Mr Phelps emphasised the importance of building trust and confidence with young people who come into contact with the police and youth justice services. Having trust and confidence in the system is something that we really work hard to achieve. And that's about building relationships where the young person can work with a trusted professional and see that they have their best interests at heart rather than anything else in their mind,
he explained. This involves embedding trust and confidence in practice.
Councillor Monika Patel raised concerns about potential racial bias in police arrests and the broader societal debate around inclusivity. Daniel Phelps assured the committee that addressing disproportionality and ensuring anti-discriminatory, anti-racist practice is a priority for the local authority.
The Youth Justice Strategic Plan outlines six priorities: high-quality practice, education and inclusion, participation and co-production, a coordinated victims' offer, equity and disproportionality, and partnership accountability.
The full Public reports pack for the Children and Young People Committee meeting can be found here. The agenda frontsheet is available here.
