Concerns have been raised after it emerged that the PSNI has visited children’s homes on more than 5,000 occasions in the past 12 months and made almost 300 arrests.
The Children’s Law Centre (CLC) said the attendance of police at children’s facilities “requires urgent review”. Details emerged in response to a question from Policing Board member Les Allamby this month.
More: Life chances of children at risk over court appearances
The former Director of Law Centre (NI) and Chief Commissioner of the NI Human Rights Commission had asked how many times the PSNI had visited children’s general children’s homes and specialist facilities.
In response, the PSNI said while it was unable to differentiate between the two, it visited children’s homes 5,092 times in the last 12 months.
Police also provided a breakdown of figures for several named facilities, including Lakewood Regional Secure Care Centre in Bangor, Co Down.
Over the past 12 months officers have visited 142 times.
Police also attended Beechcroft Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit in Castlereagh 74 times.
There were also 99 call outs to foster placements.
While police said its systems do not record how many children were formally interviewed, the force confirmed that 285 were arrested at homes in the last financial year.
Concerns have been raised in recent weeks over the life chances of children being ruined by being hauled before the courts.
Children’s Commissioner Chris Quinn was speaking after a spike in the number of very young children, some aged aged just 10, being arrested.
CLC has now raised separate concerns.
Fergal McFerran, CLC Policy and Public Affairs Manager, said it has “long-standing concerns about PSNI attendance at children’s facilities and serious concerns about the frequency with which they appear to be called”.
“The number of PSNI visits is highly disproportionate to the small number of children living in children’s facilities,” he said.
“Through our casework, we’re often aware that the PSNI are called out in situations where, if the child was living at home with their parents or carers, PSNI attendance would not be deemed a reasonable or proportionate response.”
Mr McFerran said the high number of arrests has resulted in children being remanded in custody at Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre in Bangor.
“The number of arrests are also deeply concerning, resulting in a high number of care experienced children on remand in Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre for offences that would not otherwise carry a custodial sentence,” he said.
Mr McFerran also raised concerns about the approach of health trusts, which provide health and social care services, in the north.
“In addition, health trusts have statutory responsibilities to provide bail addresses for children in care, yet CLC have acted for children with bail granted but where the health trusts are refusing to provide that bail address,” he said.
“Often these offences are minor in nature and have resulted from the PSNI being called to a children’s facility in the first place.
“The attendance of PSNI at children’s facilities requires urgent review.”
Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said “children and young people come into contact with the police for a variety of reasons other than the commission of offences, witnessing crime or as a victim of crime”.
“Police may also be called to children’s homes for missing person reports and concerns for safety,” he said.
“The Police Service of Northern Ireland will only ever arrest children and young people when it is absolutely necessary, and there is a legitimate and lawful purpose to do so.”
He added that “where appropriate, we seek alternative disposals and ways of addressing behaviour and work closely with our partners in the Youth Justice Agency to ensure that the right support and intervention is in place to reduce offending”.
The Department of Health did not respond.
