The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Children in Police Custody has now disbanded, as of 3rd April 2026.
Although the Group no longer exists, the findings from the Group’s Inquiry into Achieving the Rights of Children in Police Custody continue to be highly relevant and their recommendations are being actively pursued at both policy and practice levels.
The launch of an Inquiry into achieving the rights of children in police custody was agreed as an action at the Group’s inaugural meeting on 13 December 2022. Information about the inquiry, relevant documents and minutes of the live evidence sessions remain accessible below.
The Inquiry held 5 live evidence sessions:
First evidence Session: Hearing from Children and Young People with Experience of Police Custody and Strip Search, 25 April 2023
- Witnesses: Tyler (male, aged 16, video recorded), Shaq, (male, aged 19), Lz (male, aged 20), Jodie (female, aged 19) and S (female, aged 17), from Young Advocates for Youth Justice.
- Presentation by Dr Miranda Bevan of evidence provided for the APPG between 11th and 21st April 2023 by: C (male, aged 17), ST (male, aged 17), Y (male, aged 19), J (male, aged 18) and Dre (male, aged 17).
Second Evidence Session: Legal advice for children in police custody, 23 May 2023
- Dr Vicky Kemp (University of Nottingham)
- Laura Cooper (Youth Justice Legal Centre, Just for Kids Law) and Caroline Liggins (Hodge Jones & Allen)
- Commander Nick John, Metropolitan Police Service
Third Evidence Session: Appropriate adults and other support for children in police custody, 11th July 2023
- Dr Miranda Bevan (formerly Goldsmiths now King’s College, University of London)
- Chris Bath (CEO, National Appropriate Adult Network)
- Dr John Taggart (Queen’s University, Belfast)
- Lib Peck (Director, London Violence Reduction Unit, Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime)
Fourth Evidence Session: Reducing detention periods for children in police custody , Tuesday 21st November 2023
- Louise King (Co-Lead of Just for Kids Law and Director of the Children’s Rights Alliance for England)
- Penelope Gibbs (CEO, Transform Justice)
- Matthew Haynes (Team Manager, Coventry Youth Justice Service)
Fifth Evidence Session: Guidance and Oversight, Wednesday 13th March 2024 at 3.00pm – 4.30pm
- Assistant Chief Constable Tom Harding (Director of Operational Standards and Public Safety and Risk, College of Policing)
- Sherry Ralph (CEO of the Independent Custody Visiting Association)
- Michelle Skeer OBE QPM (Inspection Lead for Children, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services)
The Inquiry also put out a call for written evidence and gave respondents the option of submitting a written response or completing the call for evidence questions online. There was also a separate tailored online survey for children and young people, and for family members who supported them in the police station.
The Inquiry received more than 100 written and online evidence submissions and survey responses.
Click below to read selected organisational responses to the Inquiry:
This is not an official webpage of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. It has not been approved by either House or its committees. All-Party Parliamentary Groups are informal groups of Members of both Houses with a common interest in particular issues. The views expressed in these webpages are those of the group. The APPG on Children in Police Custody has been disbanded, as of 3rd April 2026.