What happens if a child under 10 breaks the law?
Children under 10 who break the law are treated differently to adults or youths under 18 who commit a criminal offence.
Children under 10 cannot be charged with committing a criminal offence. However, they can be given a:
- Local Child Curfew
- Child Safety Order
Children under 10 who break the law regularly can sometimes be taken into care, or their parents could be held responsible.
The rules are different in .
Local Child Curfew
The police can ban children from being in a public place between 9pm and 6am, unless accompanied by an adult. This is called a Local Child Curfew and can last for up to 90 days.
If a child breaks their curfew, they can be given a Child Safety Order.
Child Safety Order
If a child has committed an offence or broken a Local Child Curfew, they can be placed under the supervision of a youth offending team. This is called a Child Safety Order.
The order normally lasts for up to 3 months, but in some cases it can last for up to 12 months.
If a child doesn鈥檛 stick to the rules of an order, the court can consider if the child should be taken into care.