Responsible Child, the shocking forerunner to Adolescence, drops on Netflix in time for the weekend
Little Ray goes on trial for murderResponsible Child, which has many similarities with the landmark series Adolescence, is coming to Netflix in November.
Like Adolescence, the heartbreaking drama series tells the story of a child accused of murder. It follows 12-year-old Ray, who’s arrested alongside his older brother for stabbing to death their abusive stepfather.
The BBC drama was originally broadcast in 2019 and while it didn’t have the incredible impact of Adolescence, one of the best Netflix series of recent times, it did win widespread critical acclaim.
Here’s everything you need to know about Responsible Child, including when it’s available to watch on Netflix. Plus, the similarities and differences it has with Adolescence. And who stars in the thought-provoking drama.
Responsible Child Netflix release date and how many episodes it is
Responsible Child will land on Netflix on Friday, November 14. It’s a one-off 90 minute drama.
It is directed by Nick Holt, who won a BAFTA for the 2013 documentary The Murder Trial. The Murder Trial saw cameras allowed into a British criminal court for the first time to film a murder trial in its entirety.
Nick used his knowledge of watching real trials for Responsible Child. He commented before it went out that it was a story that he’d wanted to tell for a very long time.
Is Responsible Child based on a true story? What’s the plot?
Netflix describes Responsible Child as being “inspired” by a true story. So, the drama isn’t a straight retelling of true events but is loosely based on them.
The drama opens with 12-year-old Ray (Billy Barratt) and his 23-year-old brother Nathan (James Tarpey) being arrested for murder. They are accused of bludgeoning to death their mother’s partner, Scott (Shaun Dingwall).
Scott had a history of violence including attacking Nathan with an axe. But the law is clear. Despite only being 12, Ray must stand trial for murder in an adult court.
The drama is told in two timeframes. We follow the events that led up to the murder and also the unfolding trial as Ray is questioned by prosecuting barrister William Ramsden (Strike‘s Tom Burke).
Can a 12-year-old be tried in an adult court for murder?
Yes, shockingly a 12-year-old boy can be tried for murder in an adult court. The age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales is 10 years old – one of the lowest ages in the world. It is lower than any other European country.
“I presumed that if you were legally a child, then you would be tried as a child,” Owen McDonnell, who plays Ray’s solicitor, Pete, said when the show was first broadcast.
“When you put children on trial like an adult, with the outcome being either guilty or not guilty, you run into dangerous territory of labelling them as good or evil.
“This drama encourages us to look beyond the lurid headlines and see that incidents like these are not quite as black-and-white as they first appear.”
Responsible Child asks whether a child should be tried in an adult court or not.
What are the similarities and differences between Responsible Child and Adolescence?
There are some clear similarities between Responsible Child and Adolescence. They both revolve around a young boy being accused of murder. Ray is 12 in Responsible Child, while Jamie (played by Owen Cooper) is 13 in Adolescence.
Both dramas explore the British legal system and how children are treated in serious criminal cases. Moreover, in both there’s no question that either boy carried out the attack. At the beginning of Responsible Child, we see Ray stab his stepfather. While in the first episode of Adolescence, we see Jamie murder Katie.
But there are also clear differences. Ray kills his stepfather, whereas Jamie’s dad Eddie (Stephen Graham) attempts to support his son in Adolescence.
Also, their motivations are very different. Ray has been subject to repeated abuse by his stepfather and arguably cracks under the strain. Whereas Jamie is driven by his toxic views on masculinity caused by his social media exposure.
Arguably, the biggest difference between the two is that you see the trial in Responsible Child. The trial is a pivotal part of the drama and we see the case play out in dramatic fashion. We do not witness Jamie on trial in Adolescence.
Both series enjoyed critical acclaim.
Billy Barratt leads the cast
Billy Barratt plays the key role of Ray. The following year after its release, then 13-year-old Billy became the youngest person to win an International Emmy for his performance in Responsible Child. Billy commented it was “kind of crazy” to become the youngest winner.
Before Responsible Child, Billy had a small role as a street urchin in the film Mary Poppins Returns (2018).
He told 5Eleven recently how important a role Ray was to him. “I’ve said this before, but for me, Responsible Child was the first time I really realised that a film can impact someone. That’s the first time I really understood that because I saw the conversations it brought up. And it was a film in which I really felt for my character, Ray.”
Billy is now 18 and very much a star. He appeared alongside Sally Hawkins in the 2025 horror movie Bring Her Back.
The young actor also plays Casper Morrow in the Apple TV+ series Invasion.
Who else is in the cast for Responsible Child?
- After Hours actor James Tarpey is Ray’s brother Nathan
- Top Boy’s Shaun Dingwall is Ray’s stepfather Scott
- Strike’s Tom Burke is prosecuting barrister William Ramsden
- Bad Sisters actor Owen McDonnell is Ray’s solicitor Pete
- Game of Thrones star Michelle Fairley is Ray’s barrister Kerry
- The Gold‘s Stephen Campbell Moore is child psychologist Dr Johann Keaton
- The Inheritance’s Debbie Honeywood is Ray’s mother Veronica
Responsible Child was written by Sean Buckley, who wrote episodes for the acclaimed series Skins. Sean said his aim for Responsible Child was to make the viewers relate to what Ray is going through.
He said: “I wanted to take the audience as close as possible to that experience through the boy’s eyes and his understanding of going through what is essentially an adult penal system.”
Reviews for Responsible Child
Responsible Child drew very positive reviews and, as mentioned, star Billy Barratt won an International Emmy for his performance. Writer Sean Buckley also received a BAFTA Television Craft nomination for the script.
In a four-star review, The Guardian praised Billy for giving “a credible and heartbreaking performance”. Also, heavily given credit in the review is Debbie Honeywood as Ray’s mother. “The brief scene between her and Ray after the verdict is truly harrowing.”
The Times gave Responsible Child an even better review, awarding it five stars. It said that the drama gave an “eloquent argument against a troubling law”.
In a further positive review, The Daily Telegraph gave it four stars. It now has a fresh chance for acclaim as a new audience will see Responsible Child on Netflix.
Read more: A Mother’s Son on Netflix draws Adolescence comparisons
