Children with serious criminal records will no longer need to declare them to employers

The UK government is consulting on major changes to the youth justice system designed to reduce the number of children in custody and boost youth employment. Under the new proposals, individuals found guilty of serious offences such as robbery, drug dealing to children, and violent disorder while under 18 would no longer face a lifetime obligation to share their criminal records with prospective employers. Ministers argue that the current system fails to distinguish between childhood and adult offences and that people deserve a second chance to contribute to the workforce. While those given longer custodial sentences would still retain a lifetime disclosure requirement, individuals receiving shorter sentences or fines would see significantly reduced disclosure periods.