The Howard League, Heart and heads: Good practice in children's homes

The Howard League released a report in 2018 that explores what factors contribute to the criminalisation of children living in residential care. The report suggests how this can be prevented, and identifies core principles that should be applied in all children’s homes to protect children from unnecessary criminalisation.

These principles are grouped into ‘hearts’ and ‘heads. ‘Heads’ considers the buisinsess side of running a home, such as protocols to prevent unnecessary use of the police and supporting staff, and ‘hearts’ considers the emotional needs of children and young people such as a homely environment and treating them with dignity and respect. The report contains examples of good practice, and recommends that  children’s homes ask themselves, “Would this be good enough for my child?”