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The Government has launched proposals to strengthen the Victims’ Code, including plans to introduce a child-friendly version for the first time, in an effort to improve children’s understanding of their rights within the criminal justice system.
The reforms form part of a broader programme intended to improve victim engagement and ensure more consistent support throughout investigations, prosecutions and post-conviction processes. A three-month consultation on the revised Code has now opened.
Ministers have identified particular concerns about the experiences of child victims of crime, including those affected by domestic abuse and sexual offences, who may struggle to navigate complex criminal justice procedures or access appropriate support services. The proposed child-focused version of the Code is intended to explain victims’ rights in age-appropriate language and provide clearer guidance on how children can seek support, including through self-referral to specialist services.
Among the proposed changes are provisions designed to increase direct communication between justice agencies and child victims. Under the proposals, children aged 12 and above may receive more direct contact from police and probation services, alongside engagement with parents or carers. The Government has indicated that this is intended to promote greater autonomy for older children while maintaining safeguarding oversight.
The revised Code would apply across the full lifecycle of a criminal case, from initial reporting through to trial and post-conviction stages. Ministers have stated that improved clarity about victims’ rights is intended to encourage engagement with the criminal justice process and reduce attrition in cases involving vulnerable victims.
More broadly, the proposed reforms introduce revised core principles governing the treatment of victims, including strengthened expectations around communication, accessibility and adjustments to meet individual needs. The Government has also indicated that training across criminal justice agencies will be enhanced to support implementation.
Compliance with the Victims’ Code is already underpinned by statute. The Government has confirmed that, once relevant provisions are commenced, enhanced powers for the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales will enable greater scrutiny of public bodies that fail to meet Code standards without justification.
For family and children law practitioners, the proposals may have particular relevance in cases involving parallel criminal and family proceedings, especially where children are victims or witnesses of abuse. The emphasis on recognising children’s distinct needs reflects wider policy developments, including safeguarding reforms and increasing scrutiny of how children’s voices are heard across justice systems.
The proposals also sit alongside recent government initiatives addressing violence against women and girls, reforms to family justice policy focusing on child safety, and reviews of guidance concerning the criminalisation of children in care and parental responsibility in cases involving serious sexual offending.
The consultation on the revised Victims’ Code will run until April 2026, with the Government expected to publish its response later in the year.
