Key facts
- Parents in England and Wales could face fines, benefit deductions, or jail time for their children's crimes.
- Youth Justice Minister Jake Richards said parents would only face jail in extreme cases.
- The government plans to strengthen and expand parenting orders.
- Breach of a parenting order carries a maximum fine of £1,000.
- Experts argue parenting orders are ineffective and penalize the poor.
- The use of parenting orders has declined from over 1,000 in 2009/10 to 33 in 2022/23.
Parents in England and Wales could face financial penalties, including benefit deductions and fines of up to £1,000, or even jail time in extreme cases, if their children commit offenses. Youth Justice Minister Jake Richards stated that the proposed changes aim to hold parents more accountable for their role in preventing their children's criminal behavior. These measures are part of a plan to strengthen and expand parenting orders, which can compel parents to attend counseling or other interventions to address their child's conduct.
Richards described the approach as a "carrot-and-stick" method, emphasizing that custodial sentences would be reserved for the most severe situations and would be subject to judicial discretion. He told The Times that the goal is to ensure greater parental involvement in rehabilitating young offenders, acknowledging that this increased responsibility comes with potential consequences.
However, the proposals have drawn criticism from criminal justice experts. Nikki Rutter, an assistant professor specializing in child behavior at Durham University, told the BBC that there is substantial evidence indicating parenting orders are ineffective, which has led to a decrease in their use. She also warned that increasing fines could negatively impact low-income communities, potentially deepening poverty.
In May, then Justice Secretary David Lammy had indicated that strengthening parenting orders would introduce "real consequences" for parents who "wilfully fail to support efforts to address their children’s behaviour." He also noted that judges could intervene to ensure struggling parents receive support. Statistics show a significant decline in the issuance of parenting orders, from over 1,000 in 2009/10 to just 33 in 2022/23. A report in the Youth Justice Journal highlighted limited research on the effectiveness of these orders, suggesting that parental engagement in support should remain voluntary.