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Children convicted of serious offences in England and Wales will no longer be required to disclose their criminal records to prospective employers under sweeping government proposals. The changes aim to boost youth employment, reduce the number of children in custody, and provide a fairer start for disadvantaged individuals.
Youth Justice System Overhaul
Under the proposed changes, which are currently subject to consultation, individuals will not have to share records of crimes committed under the age of 18 for the rest of their lives. Justice minister Jake Richards told The Guardian that the government believes in granting second chances where it is safe to do so, allowing individuals to contribute to work and move away from crime. He noted that the current system fails to distinguish between offences committed as a child and those committed as an adult.
Ministers have discussed reducing lifelong disclosure requirements for childhood convictions for several years. A 2017 review by former justice secretary David Lammy previously highlighted that childhood criminal records contributed to discrimination faced by Black and minority ethnic individuals later in life.
New Disclosure Timelines
If the proposals become law, individuals convicted of violent disorder, supplying drugs to a child, robbery, affray, and actual bodily harm while under 18 would no longer face lifelong disclosure requirements. Those receiving non-custodial sentences for these offences would need to disclose them for five and a half years, while sentences of two years or less would require an 11-year disclosure period. Anyone receiving a custodial sentence longer than two years would retain a lifetime obligation to inform prospective employers.
Additionally, convictions resulting only in a fine would no longer need to be disclosed. Positions in the UK requiring standard or enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) checks include teaching, social work, healthcare, and transport roles such as taxi driving.
Campaigner and Former Offender Support
Campaigners welcomed the proposed reforms, noting that businesses identify criminal convictions as the second largest barrier to employing people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Paula Harriott, chief executive of the charity Unlock, stated that it is disproportionate and unfair for tens of thousands of people to annually disclose irrelevant childhood offences.
Former offenders also backed the plans. Joanne, a 22-year-old who spent 18 months in a young offender institution as a child, told reporters in London that the reforms would have transformed her life. Convicted of affray and assault starting at age 10 after being exploited by a gang, she said the changes would enable her to achieve her dream of owning a residential care facility that employs individuals with lived experience.
