Sentencing Act 2020

368 Parenting order where parent or guardian of offender fails to attend meetings of youth offender panel

(1) A parenting order under this section is available to a youth court where—

(a) an offender has been referred to a youth offender panel (see section 83), and

(b) a parent or guardian of the offender is referred by the panel to the youth court under section 93 in respect of a failure to comply with an order under section 90 (order requiring attendance at meetings of panel).

This is subject to section 370.

(2) Where a parenting order under this section is available, the youth court may make such an order if it is satisfied that—

(a) the parent or guardian has failed without reasonable excuse to comply with the order under section 90, and

(b) the parenting order would be desirable in the interests of preventing the commission of any further offence by the offender.

(3) Subsections (4) and (5) apply where the court makes a parenting order in respect of a parent or guardian of an offender.

(4) The requirements that the court may specify under section 365(1)(a) in an order under this section are requirements that it considers desirable in the interests of preventing the commission of any further offence by the offender.

(5) If the order contains a requirement under section 365(1)(b) and the court is satisfied that—

(a) the attendance of the parent or guardian at a residential course is likely to be more effective than that person’s attendance at a non-residential course in preventing the commission of any further offence by the offender, and

(b) any interference with family life which is likely to result from the parent’s or guardian’s attendance at a residential course is proportionate in all the circumstances,

the court may provide in the order that a counselling or guidance programme which the parent or guardian is required to attend by virtue of the requirement may be or include a residential course.

(6) Before making a parenting order under this section where the offender is aged under 16, the court must obtain and consider information about—

(a) the offender’s family circumstances, and

(b) the likely effect of the order on those circumstances.

(7) Where a parenting order is made under this section, the person in respect of whom it is made may appeal against it to the Crown Court.

(8) On an appeal under subsection (7) the Crown Court—

(a) may make such orders as may be necessary to give effect to its determination of the appeal, and

(b) may also make such incidental or consequential orders as appear to it to be just.

(9) An order of the Crown Court made on an appeal under subsection (7) is to be treated for the purposes of section 374 as having been made by the youth court.