Issue details

Dr Alex Chard is the author of the Punishing Abuse report, which was commissioned by the West Midlands Combined Authority and the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner.

Dr Alex Chard, Director YCTCS Ltd is a systemic organisational consultant, independent academic and professional author. He has a Professional Doctorate in Systemic Practice and is a member of the Society of Authors and the Institute of Directors. is recognised as a national expert in this field and has extensive experience including undertaking reviews into 2 London boroughs and reporting to a Home Office Minister.

Punishing Abuse was a detailed study of eighty children from across eleven local authorities who were known to youth offending teams and wider services including education, health and social care.
The report argues that a number of children in the youth justice system are being punished as a consequence of the impact on their behaviours of their early abuse and loss. It also highlights the abuse and adversity that these children suffered. Of the 80 children in the criminal justice system studied:
• nine in ten children are known or suspected to have been abused;
• eight in ten children are known or suspected to have a health issue;
• eight in ten were subject to school exclusion or attendance at multiple secondary schools;
• seven in ten are known or suspected to have lived with domestic violence whilst growing up;
• seven in ten children are known or suspected to be a victim of violence;
• seven in ten children lived in poverty;
• there was only one child with no recorded abuse or childhood adversity.
The findings of this work are extremely relevant to us in GM and having Dr Chard speak at an event being attended by Youth Justice colleagues from across Greater Manchester will be beneficial in drawing attention to the findings of the report and using these in the delivery of our GM Youth Justice Transformation programme.

The findings also highlight the inter-familiar and generational violence children experience and this insight and research will be essential in developing a bid for Home Office Perpetrator Funding, for interventions for children and young people, who commit violence against family members. Dr Chard’s knowledge will contribute greatly to the development of this bid and should ensure that GMCA are in a good position to secure funding for much needed perpetrator programmes working with children and adolescents.

Dr Chard’s work with the West Midlands Youth Justice Services and PCC will enabled shared learning from endeavours such as training package development including Webinars, which will be invaluable for the ambition in Greater Manchester to embed a ‘Community Of Practice’ approach for youth justice services.

The approach is supported by the GM Youth Justice Lead Director of Children’s Services, Paul Marshall, Manchester City Council.