A DIFFERENT RESPONSE IS POSSIBLE
CARE
CADETS
Intervene earlier.
Overstand the person.
Hold the behaviour to account.
Build the route forward.
A proposed London prevention, diversion and rehabilitation model for care-experienced children, young people and young adults aged 11–25.
SUPPORT WITHOUT CONTAINMENTONE CONTINUUM. DIFFERENT POINTS OF INTERVENTION.
The proposed pathwaysPREVENT
DIVERT + DEVELOP
REHABILITATE + PROGRESS
THE CARE CADETS METHOD
A sequence built around the person. And accountability.
Six connected stages bring context, responsibility and the possibility of progress into the same conversation.
- 01STABILISE
- 02OVERSTAND
- 03ACCOUNT
- 04REPAIR
- 05DEVELOP
- 06PROGRESS
“Understanding asks what happened. Overstanding asks what sits underneath it, what the system has missed, and what must change next.”
Overstanding does not excuse harmful behaviour. Accountability is central to the model.
Person first. Behaviour second.
Responsibility clear. Potential protected.
WHY THIS MATTERS
“A care file should not become a criminal file by default.”
Care Cadets starts from a simple distinction: understanding a person’s circumstances and holding them responsible for harm are not opposites.
The proposal is at a development stage. The initial core pilot is proposed for ages 16–25; an 11–14 PREVENT strand would be separately designed and governed with children’s-services and youth-justice partners.
Why Care Cadets