The Youth Justice System's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications and impacts for policy, practice and justice-involved children

The project's overall aim is to explore the impact of COVID-19 on each stage of the youth justice system. It has eight work packages and investigates four specific research questions. The project will focus on: 1)The impact of COVID-19 on justice-involved children (including service provision,education, employment, and well-being) 2)Adaptations to working practices across the youth justice system (including youth justiceteams, courts and the secure estate) 3)Barriers and enablers to adaptation of working practices 4)Recommendations for policy and practice Drawing on pre-existing networks and partnerships, we will provide an exceptionally rich in-depth case study (gathering qualitative and quantitative data) of the Greater Manchester region. Smithson (PI) co-convenes the award-winning Greater Manchester Youth Justice University Partnership (GMYJUP)-a partnership between the Manchester Centre for Youth Studies (MCYS) at Manchester Metropolitan university and the ten regional Greater Manchester youth justice services. We have already secured access to participants including justice-involved children aged 15-18, youth justice professionals and national policy makers.