Up to 45% of young offenders and up to 30% of adult criminals are believed to suffer from ADHD. The report Seen and Heard surveyed Youth Offending Team workers, and found that 68% of the survey believed young people with ADHD were more likely to receive a custodial sentence

ADHD is significantly more common in boys than girls and is characterized by inattention, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity. Children tend to be easily distracted, forgetful, and disorganised. Usually, a close relative also has ADHD. Getting an accurate assessment is an important first step, and this can be difficult as children with ADHD may have other problems. A significant proportion of ADHD children have a learning disability such as dyslexia, and speech and language problems.

Young people with ADHD are more likely to misuse drugs and alcohol, to get into trouble, and to find it difficult to extract themselves from trouble. Communication problems are a major factor in this. They consequently tend to offend younger, more persistently, and be more problematic to manage.

A number of initiatives have succeeded in improving the behaviour of young people who have or may have ADHD, and in helping parents and teachers to cope with them better. The extension of such projects, and of self-help measures, could offer the real possibility that a significant group of young men who currently wind up in the criminal justice system could be diverted at an earlier stage. The interventions would also have benefits in terms of better parenting of some chaotic families, and a more effective approach to disruptive behaviour in school.

The day provides an opportunity to hear a review of the research on ADHD and offending behaviour, and to hear from a number of interventions which work with young people with ADHD who are at risk of, or already involved with, criminal activity. These initiatives include working with parents and schools, and within the criminal justice system, and addressing specific speech and language problems.

• How can recent research on links with offending inform practice relating to young people with ADHD?
• Addressing the lack of routine assessment of young offenders’ needs: what are the options?
• Ensuring a smooth transfer from children’s to adults’ mental health services
• Understanding the complex mix of problems which can accompany ADHD and getting the right skill mix in professional teams
• How can at risk children be identified most effectively?
• Which early interventions are value for money?

• Youth Offending Teams, YISPs
• Probation Officers
• YOI staff and prison staff
• Police
• Children’s Social Workers
• Specialist workers with at-risk children including Family Support Workers and Parent Support Advisers
• Sure Start/Children’s Centres
• Health visitors
• SENCOs and other education specialists
• Community Learning Disability Teams
• Speech and language therapists
• CAMHS and other mental health services
• Charities supporting people with behavioural disorders