Page 78 - JUSTICE Tackling Racial Injustice - Children and the Youth Justice System

3.51 Young Hackney maintains that the use of cultural genograms allows children
to better understand themselves and their family history. We understand that
this, in turn, allows the child to understand the drivers of their behaviour, which
is an important step towards improving behaviour. In addition, it also helps the
practitioner working with them to better understand the child and how best to
help them. This is particularly important where the practitioner does not share
the same background or experiences as the child.

3.52 We consider that innovative methods aimed at exploring a child’s
experiences, and the impact they may have, would be useful throughout
the YJS. As well as serving to mitigate concerns that practitioners do not
understand the children they interact with, this approach may help to improve
trust by showing a willingness to learn and listen. Such approaches should
result in better designed disposals for children, allowing them to better
overcome the drivers that may have contributed to their criminal behaviour.
For example, embedding a procedure that asks a child about their experience
of race and racism, or asking why a child has not been attending school, will
allow for a deeper understanding of the child’s context and their needs, as well

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