Read on Twitter
1/2 When I talk about justice, I often speak about big, complicated things and large numbers of people – it can be overwhelming. I see people taking a deep breath and I can almost hear them thinking that it seems too big to change. https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/scotland-needs-live-promise-stop-locking-children-karyn-mccluskey-3125656?r=3696
So let me give you a number that you could really make a difference to – 16.
16 children under the age of 18 locked up in a Young Offenders Institution (YOI). Children awaiting a trial but haven’t been found guilty of any crimes.
16 children under the age of 18 locked up in a Young Offenders Institution (YOI). Children awaiting a trial but haven’t been found guilty of any crimes.
These are children who will have experienced the care system at stages in their lives; will have experienced trauma – for some, the most terrible of backgrounds and histories, enough to make you weep
These are children for whom a loving, stable home is the stuff of books or television, but not for them.
These are children who are complex, sometimes difficult, whose ability to communicate and express how they feel may be limited, come with frustration & sometimes aggression
These are children who are complex, sometimes difficult, whose ability to communicate and express how they feel may be limited, come with frustration & sometimes aggression
These are children who often lack stable accommodation and have had limited support in the community.
These are children.
There are so many other ways we can support children - keep them safe, provide support and make sure their trajectory is different.
These are children.
There are so many other ways we can support children - keep them safe, provide support and make sure their trajectory is different.
Prevention is still at my core. The Violence prevention work I undertook and still do, had backgrounds just like these children. I'm with @fionawduncan and @C_Lightowler - we shouldn't have children under 18 in our YOI - if security is the issue then lets use secure care.
I remember 16 year old William Lindsay and the marvellous @DaniGaravelli1 who wrote about it. William lived a life filled with chaos, danger, unpredictability and fear and who was remanded to a Young Offenders Institution, and found dead less than 48 hours later.
we need to take care of all our children. We should wrap around them to make sure that they have the care and support that they need, to change, grow and live.
For then all of us can be safe.
For then all of us can be safe.
