Agenda item

Purpose of the report:  Scrutiny of Services and Review.

In March 2015, the Children and Education Select Committee (now the Social Care Services Board) made two recommendations in relation to Surrey’s Youth Justice Strategic Plan 2015-20 and requested an update after 12-months. The recommendations were:

- That Surrey’s Youth Justice Partnership Board (YJPB) undertake evaluation with the probation service to understand what impact early youth justice interventions have on reducing long-term adult offending, and share these findings with the Committee at a later stage.

- That officers provide a report on the Reducing Re-offending Plan 2014-17 with details of how the Youth Support Service (YSS) and partners are working to address homelessness, NEET status and mental and emotional health issues as known factors in relation to re-offending.

The Board also requested a general update on Year 1 progress in relation to the Youth Justice Strategic Plan 2015-20, which is provided in this report.

Witnesses:

Ben Byrne, Head of Youth Support Services
Mary Lewis, Cabinet Associate for Children, Schools and Families

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.    The Cabinet Associate for Children, Schools and Families introduced the council’s work with the Youth Justice System, describing it as a primarily preventative role, and added that children not in employment, education or training (NEET) and children who are displaced are the ones at highest risk of offending. The Board was informed that the low level of NEETs within Surrey, as well as the work that the council has done to prevent youth homelessness, an effort that had been commended by the Department for Education (DfE), has ensured that there were a low level of children who fall within this risk category.

2.    The Head of Youth Support Services highlighted the drop in youths within the criminal justice system; the number of youths being within the system 7-8 years ago being approximately 2000 to 127 being within it in 2015; and the number of youths in the prison system being five in the same year. This was commented on as being the lowest number of youths in the criminal justice system for a large authority in the UK.

3.    The Board expressed concern about repeat offenders and asked what preventative measures were being used. Officers commented that the rate of repeat offenders was at its lowest point, and that youths convicted once were less likely to reoffend due to the preventative services provided. The Board was informed that a more integrated local service was the best method for further prevention, as well as ensuring youths were encouraged to be in work, education or employment.

4.    The Board highlighted that detection rates of offenses committed were low in Surrey and questioned whether this had any impact upon the figures relating to youths in the youth justice system. Officers commented that, while this was a point that would be best answered by Surrey Police, it was unlikely that this was a primary reason for the low level of youths in the youth justice system.

5.    The Board was informed that the Youth Restorative Initiative’s (YRI) progress and performance was measured through external evaluations, and that the results were positive, suggesting that this was confirming the Surrey system's approach.

6.    The Board was informed that that there had been an optimistic response from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). It was highlighted that a more ambitious CAMHS model with an emphasis on Early Help was being developed, providing a vital preventative resource. The Board was informed that the impact of these changes would be measurable in 12 months time. 

7.    The Board expressed concern regarding the effects of academisation on school partnerships with the Council and their capability to prevent children becoming NEET. Officers responded that there was a challenge with regard to schools having greater autonomy, but that the council was working to build on and improve these partnerships with schools. The Cabinet Associate for Children, Schools and Families assured the Board that the Fair Access Protocol ensured a working relationship with all schools in Surrey to ensure that all children in difficult circumstances were assigned a suitable school place.

Recommendations:

a) The Board invites the Youth Support Service to present a shared item in six months time with Children’s Services on the impact their services are having on Surrey’s children and their families.

b) Surrey’s Youth Justice Partnership Board (YJPB) undertake further evaluation with the police and probation service to understand what impact youth justice intervention has on offending in young adulthood and share these findings with the Social Care Services Board in 12-months time.

b) That officers provide a further update in 12-months on the progress of the Reducing Reoffending Plan 2014-17 with particular reference to how the new CAMHS integrated model, including the YSS subcontracted element, has impacted on mental health and emotional and behavioural issues as a known factor in relation to re-offending.

c) That officers provide an update in 12-months in relation to progress made against the Youth Justice Strategic Plan in Year 2.