Child First Collaboration: Reconceptualising the Child‐Adult Relationship in Youth Justice Contexts

ABSTRACT

Collaboration with justice‐involved children is a central tenet of the ‘Child First’ guiding principle for the Youth Justice System of England and Wales. However, exactly what constitutes ‘collaboration’ is moot in policy, practice and research with vulnerable children in contact with support systems, and currently neglected within youth justice contexts. As we discuss, children's collaboration is typically modelled and operationalised in adult‐centric, static ways, based on levels of involvement and how professionals can facilitate children's (often inequitable) participation in planning and decision‐making. This article utilises data from justice‐involved children who participated in the ‘Child First Collaboration Project’ via a Project Reference Group ( n  = 22) and system journey interviews facilitated by creative methodologies conducted with children across a range of youth justice stages ( n  = 66). Analyses identified a dynamic and relational ‘cycle of collaboration’ containing four inter‐related mechanisms: asking, listening to, respecting and informing children, throughout processes within and beyond the Youth Justice System. Where this cycle and its mechanisms were enacted, children perceived child‐centric, effective, authentic collaboration. Where they were not (or not fully), children perceived adult‐centric, ineffective, disingenuous ‘collaboration’ more akin to tokenistic consultation. Therefore, it is recommended that the Child First ‘collaboration with children’ tenet and associated practice guidance be augmented to reflect this evidence‐based and dynamic ‘cycle of collaboration’.