A new study, published in the journal Child Abuse & Neglect, showed that children who receive interventions from child welfare services are more likely to have experienced complex health issues, adversity, or maltreatment.
Nathan Hughes from the School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations, and Calum Webb from the School of Education worked on the three-year study, led by Anna Leyland from Manchester Metropolitan University.
Using administrative records from the Department of Education and Ministry of Justice, researchers examined links between interventions from the child welfare service and the likelihood of contact with the criminal justice system by the time young people reach early adulthood.
Children placed in out-of-home care were found to be at greater risk of contact with the criminal justice system, being 4.5 times more likely to be cautioned or convicted for a criminal offense. Children referred to welfare services but not given formal interventions were twice as likely to be cautioned or convicted compared to those without welfare service involvement.
The largest impact was found to be on girls within the care system, who were 5.7 times more likely to see criminal justice involvement compared to those outside the care system.
Based on these findings, researchers call for local services to review their practices and policies that may be contributing to the criminalization of vulnerable children.
Publication details
Anna Leyland et al, Child maltreatment and social welfare service involvement is linked to higher rates of criminal cautions and convictions by early adulthood, Child Abuse & Neglect (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107789
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University of Sheffield
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