Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 1
1
Although fewer children enter the youth justice system than used to be the case, those...
Recommendation
Although fewer children enter the youth justice system than used to be the case, those who do are more complex individuals. The cohort includes children who have mental health or substance misuse issues. Some have previously been excluded from school; many are, or have been, looked-after children. The complexity of the issues that these children have faced, as shown in the graph above, highlights the need for a whole-system approach involving a range of public agencies beyond those of the criminal justice system, and we recommend that much greater priority be given to this in the development of future policy and practice. (Paragraph 24) Diversion from formal criminal justice processing
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
1. We welcome the Committee’s recommendation as we recognise that children who offend are some of the most vulnerable in our society, often with multiple complex needs and which require a combined approach from a range of agencies to address, not just the youth justice system. 2. Much of this holistic approach is already embedded in the operation of the youth justice system. As the Committee will be aware, multi-agency working, taking into account the needs and welfare of the child, is a key element of the youth justice system, which is enshrined in law through the principal aim of “preventing offending by children and young persons”. The statutory requirements for Youth Offending Teams (YOTs), which are set out in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, also perform this function by outlining that YOTs require the involvement of local police, probation, health partners and a representative from children’s social care. 3. That is also why the Youth Justice Board (YJB), which oversees the operation of the youth justice system, publishes Standards for children in the youth justice system. This defines the minimum expectation for services working with children who offend, including how those services should work with partner agencies. 4. The Ministry of Justice and the YJB work closely with our cross-government partners to ensure that children in the justice system receive the support that they need. This includes regular engagement, for example via the Youth Justice Oversight Group, which brings together partners from across government to analyse the performance of the whole system and consider the ways in which collaboration can help to address some of the challenges. 5. There are also specific projects working to ensure that local youth justice services are properly considered and integrated into wider multi-agency initiatives, such as Violence Reduction Units. 6. The Youth Custody Service and NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) are implementing a Framework for Integrated Care (known as SECURE STAIRS). This is a trauma informed, formulation driven framework for integrated care inclusive of the principle of ‘every interaction matters’ and that a multi-disciplinary approach to formulation-based care is fundamental, focusing on the child’s formulation, ‘my story’, rather than their diagnosis, offence or other label. Implementation of SECURE STAIRS also includes improved training for staff to better support these complex children such as ongoing staff supervision and reflective practice. 7. However, we agree that there is more to be done to ensure that children at risk of entering the justice system, and those in contact with it, receive the holistic support that they need. The Ministry of Justice and the YJB will continue to work closely with our national and local partners to continue to build a system which addresses children’s needs and supports them away from crime.