Understanding the School to Prison Pipeline: A Call for Change

Imagine walking into a place meant to nurture you, teach you, and help you grow. Instead, you are met with punishment, exclusion, and misunderstanding.

Now, imagine you are a child in care. You are already navigating trauma, instability, and the emotional weight of being “different.” For too many care-experienced young people, school is not a refuge. It becomes the first step in a troubling journey, from exclusion to isolation, from behaviour issues to blame, and ultimately, from school gates to prison cells.

This is the school to prison pipeline. And it is very real.

What Is the School to Prison Pipeline?

The school to prison pipeline describes a disturbing trend where children are pushed out of mainstream education and into the criminal justice system. This issue disproportionately affects specific groups, including:

• Children in care

• Children with additional learning needs

• Children from ethnically minoritised groups

• Children living in poverty

• Children with disabilities or unmet mental health needs

  
  

Instead of receiving the support they need, these young people often encounter:

• Zero-tolerance policies

• Fixed-term or permanent exclusions

• Increased police presence in schools

• A lack of trauma-informed approaches

  
  

These measures do not address the root of the problem; they only escalate it.

The Vulnerability of Children in Care

Children in care are particularly vulnerable to this pipeline. They are overrepresented in exclusion statistics and under-supported in classrooms. Here’s why:

Impact of Trauma on Learning

Trauma significantly impacts learning. Children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or loss often struggle with concentration, emotional regulation, and trust.

Disruption from Moving Placements

Moving placements frequently means moving schools. This disruption affects their education and relationships profoundly.

Stigmas and Labels

These children often carry labels that follow them. They are viewed as “troublemakers” rather than as individuals coping with grief and instability.

Misunderstood Behaviour

What is perceived as defiance may actually stem from fear, anxiety, or a nervous system in survival mode.

When they are excluded from school, the message is clear: You don’t belong here.

Exclusion: A Major Red Flag

Being excluded from school is not a minor incident; it is a significant predictor of future involvement in the criminal justice system. Research shows:

• Children who are excluded are more likely to be arrested in the years following exclusion.

• Approximately 60% of young people in custody have been excluded from school.

• Children in care are five times more likely to be excluded than their peers.

  
  

Once out of school, they often find themselves unsupervised, unengaged, and unsupported, a dangerous combination.

Rethinking Our Approach: Changing the System, Not the Child

The school to prison pipeline is not an unavoidable fate. It is the result of systems that criminalise trauma and prioritise punishment over support. We need to shift our focus and ask important questions:

• What if schools were trauma-informed?

• What if every excluded child was met with care, not condemnation?

• What if we stopped blaming children for the failures of the systems around them?

  
  

Children in care are not the problem; the lack of understanding, consistency, and compassion is.

Practical Steps Toward Change

Here are actionable steps that can help disrupt this pipeline:

Train School Staff in Trauma-Informed Practices

Teachers and staff must be equipped to recognise and appropriately respond to trauma, rather than punish it.

End Zero-Tolerance Policies

Discipline should be relational, restorative, and focused on encouraging growth.

Monitor and Challenge Exclusions

Local authorities and schools must track exclusion data and be held accountable for their practices.

Create Safe Spaces in Schools

Every child should have access to trusted adults and emotional support within their school environment.

Listen to Care-Experienced Young People

These young individuals are the experts in their own lives. Their voices must guide policy and practice changes.

Conclusion: Rewriting the Narrative

The school to prison pipeline starkly illustrates how we fail vulnerable children, especially those in care. However, we possess the power to disrupt that pipeline. We need to recognise the child behind the behaviour. It’s time to replace exclusion with inclusion and treat pain with empathy rather than punishment.

In this journey, one key phrase stands out: "education is a right, not a privilege." It’s essential that we remember this commitment to support every child's educational experience. Together, we can create a more nurturing and understanding environment for all children.