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<p>(i) Young Victims</p><p>We recently published an updated version of ‘Working Together
to Safeguard Children 2018’. The guidance specifically references teenage relationship
abuse as part of the statutory definition of domestic abuse. It also outlines the
‘assessment of risk outside the home’ which ensures that practitioners are alert to
the risk of abuse for young people within their own intimate relationships.</p><p>Further
to this, the draft guidance that will accompany the Domestic Abuse bill covers abuse
in teenage relationships. The guidance has been seen in draft by a wide range of sector
representatives, who have provided feedback. The guidance is being finalised ahead
of a formal consultation period in the spring.</p><p>(ii) Perpetrators</p><p>The Criminal
Justice Act 2003 (“CJA 2003”) provides for the establishment of Multi-Agency Public
Protection Arrangements (“MAPPA”) in each of the 42 criminal justice areas in England
and Wales. These are designed to protect the public, including previous victims of
crime, from serious harm by sexual and violent offenders. They require the local criminal
justice agencies and other bodies dealing with offenders to work together in partnership
in dealing with these offenders.</p><p>MAPPA guidance states that under the Children
Act 2004, the Responsible Authority and DTC agencies have a statutory duty to make
arrangements for ensuring that ‘their functions are discharged having regard to the
need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children’ and that ‘children should not
be treated by MAPPA as ‘mini-adults’’.</p><p>The draft Domestic Abuse Statutory Guidance
which is due to be published following royal assent of the Bill also includes young
people who perpetrate abuse.</p><p>Young people perpetrating abuse in their relationships
must be supported in an appropriate way that places emphasis on tackling the drivers
of their behaviour. Court and responding agencies must take into account youth justice
guidelines when responding to cases of teenage relationship abuse, avoid unnecessarily
criminalising young people, and identify appropriate interventions to address behaviours
that might constitute or lead to abuse. Relevant youth justice guidelines include:</p><ul><li>Case
management guidance for Youth Offending Teams</li><li>Standards for children in the
Youth Justice System</li><li>Crown Prosecution Service guidance on youth offenders</li><li>Sentencing
Council guidelines on sentencing children and young people</li></ul>
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