The publication of the government's response to Susannah Hancock’s independent review Delivering the best for girls in custody signals an important move towards improving experiences and outcomes for girls.
We welcome the government's commitment to a more strategic focus on girls in the youth justice system, improving the care of girls in custody, and recognition that the system must evolve to recognise and meet girls’ needs.
Minister Jake Richards recognises that ‘this is not the end of the journey, but a critical step forward’ and we are encouraged to see the government take this opportunity to enhance the strategic focus on girls across the youth justice system.
Earlier this year, we welcomed the immediate government decision to end the placement of girls in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs). However, there is still a long way to go to ensure that the system for placements and services within secure settings can provide gender-responsive, trauma-informed placements for girls in secure accommodation, backed by the coordination across the systems and government departments required to meet their needs. We stand ready to work with national and local partners to ensure that girls’ needs are recognised and responded to within and beyond the youth justice system.
We warmly welcome the appointment of a Ministry of Justice strategic lead for girls and the establishment of a Girls in Youth Justice Advisory Board to provide dedicated and strategic oversight of girls’ experiences in the youth justice system, extending beyond the secure estate to include girls in the community.
We are delighted that NCB’s Deputy Director of Policy, Communications and Strategy, Dr Pippa Goodfellow, has been invited to be an independent advisor on this Board. In this role, she will advise on improving outcomes for girls in the youth justice system, represent NCB’s commitment to this field and draw on her own academic research that specialised in this area.
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NCB comments on the government response to the independent review into the placement of girls in custody
Published
11 Nov 2025
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The publication of the government's response to Susannah Hancock’s independent review Delivering the best for girls in custody signals an important move towards improving experiences and outcomes for girls.
We welcome the government's commitment to a more strategic focus on girls in the youth justice system, improving the care of girls in custody, and recognition that the system must evolve to recognise and meet girls’ needs.
Minister Jake Richards recognises that ‘this is not the end of the journey, but a critical step forward’ and we are encouraged to see the government take this opportunity to enhance the strategic focus on girls across the youth justice system.
Earlier this year, we welcomed the immediate government decision to end the placement of girls in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs). However, there is still a long way to go to ensure that the system for placements and services within secure settings can provide gender-responsive, trauma-informed placements for girls in secure accommodation, backed by the coordination across the systems and government departments required to meet their needs. We stand ready to work with national and local partners to ensure that girls’ needs are recognised and responded to within and beyond the youth justice system.
We warmly welcome the appointment of a Ministry of Justice strategic lead for girls and the establishment of a Girls in Youth Justice Advisory Board to provide dedicated and strategic oversight of girls’ experiences in the youth justice system, extending beyond the secure estate to include girls in the community.
We are delighted that NCB’s Deputy Director of Policy, Communications and Strategy, Dr Pippa Goodfellow, has been invited to be an independent advisor on this Board. In this role, she will advise on improving outcomes for girls in the youth justice system, represent NCB’s commitment to this field and draw on her own academic research that specialised in this area.
It is well evidenced that gender-blind youth justice policy and practice frequently overlook and marginalise girls within a system primarily designed to deal with boys. It is crucial that the government’s welcome and enhanced focus in this area includes the development and delivery of a national strategy for girls across and beyond the youth justice system, with robust oversight and monitoring mechanisms in place.
Dr Pippa Goodfellow
NCB's Deputy Director of Policy, Communications and Strategy
Commenting on the government’s response to the independent review of girls in custody, NCB’s Deputy Director of Policy, Communications and Strategy, Dr Pippa Goodfellow, said:
“Susannah Hancock’s independent review of girls in custody stated that ‘there is no more urgent mission than these girls’ and underlined her hope that the review could provide a channel for collective action to deliver the best for all girls in custody. The government’s response to the review is an important next step in realising these ambitions, through an increased focus on improving experiences and outcomes for girls across the youth justice system.
“It is well evidenced that gender-blind youth justice policy and practice frequently overlook and marginalise girls within a system primarily designed to deal with boys. It is crucial that the government’s welcome and enhanced focus in this area includes the development and delivery of a national strategy for girls across and beyond the youth justice system, with robust oversight and monitoring mechanisms in place. This strategy must consider what evidence-informed, gender-responsive youth justice looks like for girls, reflect the intersecting needs of girls from minoritised communities, and centre the lived experiences of girls and young women themselves.”