Duties to Children and Young People involved with the Youth Justice System who are accused of committing Serious Offences

Children and Young People who are involved in the Criminal Justice System as a result of being accused of committing serious offences, should be regarded as Children in Need and are therefore entitled to have their needs assessed. Any unmet need should be addressed through the formulation of a Multi Agency Support Plan.

Children and Young People, who become involved with the Youth Justice System as a result of being accused of committing serious offences and who are at risk of losing their liberty, should be regarded as being vulnerable.

Children and Young People who are unable to live at home whilst they are involved in the Youth Justice System should be treated as being particularly vulnerable and would, therefore, be entitled to support as a Child in Need.

Youth Offending Teams play a key role in coordinating the involvement of different public services, such as education, Children's Social Care, housing and health services; in order to help young people resettle and hence reduce the likelihood of further offences. Agencies working with young offenders often face challenges in providing holistic support to those young people who frequently lead chaotic lives and face numerous problems.

Youth Offending Teams should provide basic support to young people and their families, including parenting programme's, but Children's Social Care should provide advice and guidance, as well as more specialist support, in cases of high need.

When Children and Young People are accused of serious offences, the Youth Offending Team will assess their offending behaviour and the risk that they present to the public. Children's Social Care will be responsible for assessing the needs of the child/young person in accordance with Working Together to Safeguard Children.

Where a child/young person is considered to be vulnerable as a result of being accused of a serious offence, or is unable to live at home, a Risk Assessment should be undertaken by the Youth Offending Team regarding the risks to the child/young person.

Where a child/young person is assessed as being at risk due to self-harming behaviours, misuse of substances or mental health issues, the Youth Offending Team shall convene a Multi Agency Meeting to formulate a Risk Management Action Plan. This Plan will specify how any risk is to be managed by all the agencies involved and should be reviewed by a Multi Agency Meeting on a monthly basis.

Where a child or young person is accused of serious offences against children the East Riding Safeguarding Children Partnership Procedures and Guidance should be followed.

When the Youth Offending Team receives a notification that a child/young person is accused of a serious offence, the case should be allocated to a Youth Justice Worker for an ASSET assessment to be undertaken.

Where the child/young person is accused of a serious offence, or is unable to live at home whilst going through the Youth Justice System, the Youth Justice Worker should make a referral to Children's Social Care for a Single Assessment.

Following the receipt of a request for an Single Assessment from the youth Offending Team regarding a vulnerable child/young person, the matter should be allocated for an assessment to be carried out within the required timescales.

Any child/young person who is unable to live with a parent/person with Parental Responsibility whilst involved with the Youth Justice System, should have a Support Plan based on the assessment of need.

Where a child/young person is assessed as being at risk due to homelessness, self-harming behaviours, misuse of substances or mental health issues, a Multi Agency Meeting involving YOT, Children's Social Care, Education, Health and Police should be held to formulate a Risk Management Action Plan.

Where a Risk Management Action Plan is in place, this should be reviewed on a monthly basis by a Multi Agency Meeting.

Where a child/young person is accused of an offence against children, the potential risk to other children should be managed in accordance with the East Riding Safeguarding Children Partnership Procedures and Guidance, following consultation with the Child Care and Protection Officer.