Agenda item

Report of the Strategic Director of Care, Wellbeing and Learning.

The Board received a report to provide an update on the Youth Offending Team (YOT) key priorities for 2018/19 and performance for the period of July 2018 to September 2018 for first time entrants and custody indicators.

From the report the Committee were advised that there is now a requirement for Youth Offending Teams to produce an Annual Youth Justice Plan as part of the grant conditions of Local Authorities.

The Committee were provided with a summary of the key priorities for the YOT. It was highlighted that improving access to general health assessments for young people who enter the criminal justice system was carried forward from the 2017/18 plan.

A further breakdown of new priorities was also presented to the Board as follows:

·         Explore with the Newcastle/Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to identify potential funding to introduce the Liaison and Diversion scheme within Gateshead.

·         Review Restorative Justice approaches within Gateshead and apply for renewal of the Restorative Justice Quality Mark (RJQM).

·         Explore alternative methods of funding with regional colleagues to deliver on Attachment Based Parenting Interventions for young people known to Youth Justice Services.

·         To embed the Enhanced Case Management (ECM) model and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) research into every day practice which will aim to acknowledge and consider young people’s diverse needs in relation to trauma.

·         Ensure that relevant staff attend the 3 days – Trauma Recovery Training arranged for March 2019.

·         To develop preventative approaches to work with young people in the Looked After Child (LAC), Child In Need (CIN), Complex Child In Need (CCIN), and Child Protection arenas and those at risk of Civil Injunctions.

An overview of performance was provided from the report on first time entrants and custody. From the figures relating to first time entrants it was highlighted that there has been 9 during the period of July 2018 to September 2018. It was noted this is a 36% decrease on the previous quarter. It was also highlighted to the Committee that there had been no custodial sentences during the reporting period which is below the Northumbria PCC regional average and the National average.

The Committee were then provided with an overview of reoffending data from the Police National Computer noting that Gateshead’s binary percentage was 37% which was again, below the local and national averages. It was however highlighted that there are currently 124 young people being tracked by YOT, 23 young people went on to reoffend committing a total of 71 offences.

Hard copies of the Youth Justice Strategic Plan were handed out to Members present.

A question was asked regarding Liaison and Diversion funding for Gateshead, it was noted that this funding has not been made available to Gateshead previously but that it has with some neighbouring authorities. It was noted that it was not known why Gateshead had missed out on this grant previously, but it was clarified that Gateshead are part of a new funding bid. A comment was made stating that there may be a case for health inequality for the children of Gateshead who have missed out on opportunities for intervention due to no funding.

It was asked whether a breakdown of offences could be provided; it was noted that this information was not to hand but would be circulated to Members following this meeting.

A further question was asked as to whether cuts to Council services would likely impact on the performance figures presented. It was highlighted that it was possible that first time entry figures would change however recent service restructures and the new early help model are having a positive impact on service delivery. It was further noted that cuts in local Police funding has meant that fewer offenders are going through the Courts system and are being supported via different methods.

A request was made for case studies to be presented as part of the next YOT report – this will happen in the new municipal year.

RESOLVED:

(i)            The Committee noted the contents of the report and agreed to receive further updates from the Youth Offending Team on key priorities and performance.