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Appropriate Adult Scheme |
 This scheme provides trained volunteers who act as "Appropriate Adults" to 10 - 16 year olds whose parents cannot, or will not, attend whilst their children are held in Police custody. The scheme is also available to adults with mental health or learning difficulties. It operates at various custody suite locations across Gloucestershire. The Appropriate Adults are often the first meaningful support these vulnerable people have when they find themselves in contact with the Criminal Justice System.
Appropriate Adults attend over 650 calls per year and spend an average of 2 hours on each. When a juvenile is arrested and held in police custody, the CCP Appropriate Adult coordinator will receive a call from the Police, Youth Offending Service or the Emergency Duty Team. The coordinator will then contact volunteers to find someone able to attend. The Appropriate Adult's role is to ensure legal rights are observed, provide non-judgmental moral support and monitor the welfare of the young person or vulnerable adult during police interview and whilst held in the cells. These are many factors that increase the chances of young people or vulnerable adults committing crimes, including a troubled home life, poor attainment at school, truancy and school exclusion, drug or alcohol misuse, mental illness, deprivation, poor housing or homelessness, peer pressure and lack of parenting skills. CCP is able to offer a range of services to young people and their families aimed at preventing further offending by tackling these risk factors. See the Volunteer page for more information on how you can join CCP to ensure the welfare of children in police custody, or read Darren's Story. |
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