The All-party parliamentary group (APPG) on Children in Police Custody is conducting during 2023 an inquiry into Achieving the Rights of Children in Police Custody. This inquiry is aiming to establish the impacts of current arrangements in the UK for the care of children (between 10 to 17 years) in police custody. The group aims to raise awareness of the experiences of these children to parliamentarians and develop recommendations for reform of both policy and practice, ensuring children's rights are upheld and respected in these environments.
In its current phase, the inquiry is asking for written evidence from people and organisations across the UK. They have set up three online surveys to correspond with the different groups involved: children and young people who have experienced police custody or strip search; people that have acted as the appropriate adult for a child or young person they know personally (e.g. family or friend); and professionals or experts that have been in contact with children in police custody in some capacity.
The call-out for these responses will end on the 10th November 2023. The APPG hopes to gather results that encompass a range of opinions and ideas to aid a reform of the current systems surrounding Children in Police Custody.