MPs issue human rights warning

The parliamentary joint committee on human rights has warned the
government that its Antisocial Behaviour Bill could breach the
human rights of children if courts impose fostering requirements on
them following a conviction.

The committee said that plans for implementing the government’s
proposal were “not sufficiently robust and reliable unless the
government makes good its promise to provide specially skilled and
supported foster carers”.

Under the proposals in the bill, a court could order a child
convicted of certain offences to reside for up to a year with a
local authority foster parent. The committee said this would cost
£75,000 per young person and claimed the government would have
to “inject human and financial resources” to make it achievable.