A NEW pilot scheme designed to support children and young people after they have been arrested has been launched across the Dyfed-Powys Police area.

The Reachable Moments project aims to ensure those brought into custody receive the right help at the right time. The force will work with an Adferiad Reachable Moments worker to engage with young people, explore the causes of offending and steer them towards positive life choices.

Dyfed-Powys Police says wider scrutiny measures introduced over the past year have already reduced the number of children passing through custody. In 2024, 432 children were arrested and taken into custody. By the end of 2025, that figure had fallen to 326, following measures including closer oversight of decisions to arrest children.

While every encounter in custody can represent a “reachable moment” – a critical opportunity for early intervention – the new project aims to reduce the numbers further by offering support when young people may be most receptive to change.

Chief Inspector Jenna Jones said: “While we, as a force, are focusing on prevention and intervention in the community to prevent a child from ending up in custody, we recognised and acknowledged that there was a significant gap in support once a child is arrested and brought into custody.

“When young people are arrested or held in custody, they often spend long periods waiting to be processed or interviewed. This waiting time presents a crucial reachable moment – a window of opportunity where a trained professional can engage with the young person at a time they have less influence from peers or family members who contribute to their offending, and when they may be more open to support.

“Our ultimate aim is to break the cycle of offending, and positively influence them into making changes to their behaviour.”

Launched on Sunday (Jan 12), 2026, the pilot provides a 24/7 on-call service for custody staff, allowing officers to request immediate support from a Reachable Moments Worker (RMW).

The worker will attend the custody unit to:

• Engage with the young person in a safe, one-to-one setting
• Provide emotional support, practical guidance and short-term mentoring
• Seek to understand the root causes of the offending behaviour
• Link them to diversionary activities, community services and longer-term support to help prevent reoffending

The project is being delivered by Adferiad, a Welsh charity providing support for people with mental health and substance use needs, as well as other complex problems. Dyfed-Powys Police already works with the charity through its Appropriate Adult service operating across custody suites in the force area.

“For this project, Adferiad’s experience in supporting children and young people is key,” Ch Insp Jones said.

“A child being brought into custody is at a critical point, and one at which they often feel vulnerable, uncertain and isolated. They might be at risk of exploitation, gang involvement, or falling into a cycle of reoffending.

“This also might just be that moment they decide to engage.

“Reachable Moments workers are trained professionals, distanced from any statutory authorities, who can provide non-judgemental support in a safe place, helping the young person to reflect on their situation and consider alternative paths.

“They will build a trusting relationship, offering emotional support and guidance, and help prevent further harm, trauma and future involvement in crime, as well as reducing the trauma caused from just being in custody as a child.”

Following the initial meeting in custody, the Reachable Moments worker will maintain contact with the young person to arrange follow-up appointments and help ensure relevant agencies are also involved.

The service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Dyfed-Powys Police said a full evaluation will be carried out after the pilot period to inform a decision on whether the project should continue.

Ministers promise “British FBI” to take on terrorism, fraud and organised crime as forces face new performance targets and intervention powers

A NEW national police force for England and Wales is to be created under plans described by ministers as the biggest structural change to policing in generations.

The Home Office has confirmed that a National Police Service will be established to bring together national and cross-border crime-fighting functions currently split across several organisations. The government says the move will strengthen the response to terrorism, serious organised crime and large-scale fraud, while freeing local forces to focus on neighbourhood policing and the offences that most affect public confidence.

The proposals were announced over the past two days as part of a wider “policing reset” to be set out in a Home Office white paper due on Monday.

What is being created

Under the plan, a National Police Service would be formed to take on work that regularly spans force boundaries, including counter-terrorism policing, serious organised crime and complex fraud investigations.

Ministers have indicated the new body would assume responsibilities currently spread across the National Crime Agency, Counter Terrorism Policing (which is led nationally through the Metropolitan Police), and regional structures that support forces with major investigations.

A National Police Commissioner would be appointed as the most senior police leader in the country, overseeing the new service and providing a single point of command for national threats.

Why the government says change is needed

The Home Office argues that crime has changed faster than policing structures have kept up.

Ministers say criminals operate across borders and online, and that cyber-enabled fraud and organised crime do not respect force areas. They contend that asking 43 separate forces to maintain the same level of specialist capability is inefficient and, in some areas, no longer realistic in the face of recruitment pressures and rising demand.

The government’s central claim is that the current system pulls local forces into complex national work, leaving fewer officers available for visible policing and “everyday” crime such as shoplifting, antisocial behaviour, vehicle crime and phone theft.

How it would work in practice

The National Police Service would be introduced in stages during a transition period, rather than via an overnight switch.

The government has stressed that the new service would still rely on local policing for intelligence and community engagement, and that neighbourhood teams will remain central to preventing extremism, disrupting organised crime and safeguarding vulnerable people.

Technology and capability

One of the most significant shifts under the plan is national control over specialist technology and procurement.

Ministers say the new structure will allow faster rollout of tools and systems across all forces, including better data sharing and modern investigative capabilities. The government has also indicated it wants to expand live facial recognition and other digital policing technologies more widely, arguing it can help identify suspects and protect the public.

Critics have already signalled that technology will be a major battleground, with concerns expected over privacy safeguards, oversight, and how such tools are governed and deployed.

Force performance ‘dashboard’ and intervention powers

Alongside the creation of the National Police Service, the Home Office has also announced tougher national oversight of local forces.

Plans published on Friday include a public performance “dashboard”, with forces rated on measures such as 999 response times, victim satisfaction and public confidence. Poorly performing forces would be “named and shamed”, and ministers want stronger powers for the Home Office to intervene.

Those intervention options include sending in specialist support teams and, in serious cases, taking steps to remove chief constables judged to be failing. Police leaders have warned that target-driven regimes can create perverse incentives, but ministers insist that stronger accountability is necessary to raise standards.

Possible mergers and fewer forces

The government has also signalled support for further consolidation of police forces in England and Wales, potentially reducing the number of forces into larger regional units.

While no definitive map has been published, the direction of travel is towards fewer, bigger forces, with the National Police Service sitting above them to handle national threats and cross-border crime.

Professional standards and a proposed ‘licence to practise’

Another element announced alongside the structural changes is a professional standards reform package, including proposals for a mandatory “licence to practise” for officers in England and Wales.

Ministers say this would ensure continuing competence and help rebuild public trust after high-profile misconduct cases in recent years. The Police Federation and other staff representatives have raised concerns about workload pressures and the practicalities of introducing new requirements without significant investment in training and support.

Political reaction and policing response

Labour has presented the plan as a modernisation project to rebuild policing capability and restore confidence in the criminal justice system.

Senior policing bodies have welcomed the idea of stronger national coordination for modern threats, while stressing that the success of any national body will depend on preserving strong links with local forces and neighbourhood policing.

Opposition parties are expected to press ministers on costs, governance, civil liberties issues around technology, and whether centralisation risks weakening local accountability.

What happens next

The Home Office white paper, expected on Monday, is due to provide further detail on the structure of the National Police Service, the role and powers of the National Police Commissioner, the transition timetable, and the legislative changes required to bring the reforms into force.

The scale of the plans means the changes are likely to take years to complete, with ministers facing scrutiny over whether the overhaul can improve the fight against fraud, terrorism and organised crime while also delivering the promised improvements to visible policing and the “everyday” crimes that shape public confidence.

Safeguarding failures and calls for accountability set to be discussed on Richie & Rogue at 8:00pm

A PEMBROKESHIRE campaigner will appear live on YouTube tonight (Sunday, January 25) to discuss the ongoing Caldey Abbey investigation and the findings of an independent review into historic abuse allegations linked to Caldey Island.

Andrew, from JAOC Investigations, is due to join the Richie & Rogue show at 8:00pm. He said the conversation will focus on safeguarding, accountability and transparency, and will also look ahead to what happens next.

The Caldey Abbey case has attracted widespread attention following the publication of an independent review in late 2024. The report examined non-recent allegations involving the island’s monastic community and the wider environment around Caldey, setting out concerns about how safeguarding issues were handled over a long period.

Campaigners have argued that independent scrutiny remains necessary to ensure safeguarding arrangements are robust, victims and survivors are heard, and lessons are acted on.

In an email circulated ahead of the broadcast, Andrew said tonight’s live discussion would cover what the independent review uncovered, what he described as outstanding “red-rated” safeguarding failures, and why he believes external oversight is essential. He said the programme would also look at what survivors still need and the next steps, including ongoing matters he says are under investigation.

The Richie & Rogue YouTube show goes live at 8:00pm tonight (Sunday, January 25). Viewers can find it by searching “Richie & Rogue” on YouTube and looking for the Caldey Abbey discussion on the channel’s live stream.

If you have been affected by issues raised in this story, support is available. You can contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or Childline on 0800 1111.