"Children and Young People can be some of the most vulnerable in our society and deserve to receive the best policing possible. Any intervention can make a huge difference for a child and have a significant impact on their life. We need to get this right and ensure that young people are engaged and diverted from crime as well as ensuring they are safe. I am passionate about making sure the police service contribute to children and young people getting the best possible start in life by making sure they are safe and treated fairly. Children and Young People are our future and getting it right at the start will prevent much bigger issues further down the line."

- Chief Superintendent Jane Derrick, Equality Champion for Children and Young People Equality work in Sussex Police.

Our work in this area

As a public service

We have identified four key priorities for Sussex Police in delivering a policing service to Children and Young People. They are:

  • Stop and Search - Ensuring that our use of this power is fair and proportionate and that Children and Young People understand why and how we use it.
  • Children in Care - This particularly vulnerable group of Children and Young People tend to be disproportionately represented in the Criminal Justice system and often come to the attention of the police more regularly. Our work seeks to minimise this and understand the reasons why.
  • Detention, custody and criminalisation - Our work looks to reduce as far as possible young people coming into police custody by lowering their entry in the Criminal Justice system in the first place and by working with our partners to seek alternative disposals and accommodation.
  • Engagement with Children and Young People - Essential in building trust and confidence within this community into the future and to understand their needs.