The Youth Justice Board annual plan sets out the priorities and strategic goals of the Youth Justice Executive Board and operational frontline service delivery. The Committee is asked to review the accompanying presentation in order to inform discussion – To follow.

The Committee received a presentation on the Tower Hamlets and the City of London’s Youth Justice plan that has been informed by the findings of the recent HMIP inspection that had taken place in April 2022. The plan it was noted aims to set out the approach on how the service and partnership will achieve the necessary improvements at pace to provide good outcomes for children. The Committee reviewed the presentation and the discussion is summarised below:

The Committee:

v  Understood that the plan aims to set out the approach on how the service and partnership will achieve the necessary improvements at pace to provide good outcomes for children.

v  Noted that the work of the service is governed by the Youth Justice Service Management Board (YJSMB). The key work of the YJSMB is to meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable children and young people in Tower Hamlets and City of London.

v  Noted that whereas across England and Wales, there has been a reduction in the number of first-time entrants (FTE) coming into the  criminal justice system, LBTH although on track to reduce the FTE numbers is behind other comparable areas. Hence it was agreed that the importance of (i) addressing numbers in custody numbers to reduce to zero and (ii) delivering a strong community offer.

v  Noted that LBTH has a higher number of children entering the  Criminal Justice System than the Councils statistical neighbours and  across London.  However, the number has reduced year-by year in line with the current trend.

v  Noted that (i) LBTH has looked into why Tower Hamlets has such higher numbers; (ii) it is clear that LBTH has not used the diversion schemes effectively.  However, LBTH have reviewed and changed practice which is already making a difference and are working with the Police to explore how they can reduce this number further.

v  Noted that LBTH have continue to reduce the number of children that are in custody.  Which is due to the Councils continued investment into the Intensive Supervision and Surveillance (ISS) offer.

v  Noted that from October 2022, LBTH will also have the additional resource of the London Accommodation Resettlement Pathway, a residential unit in Newham.

v  Noted that the main objective of this unit is to ensure that young people serving custodial sentences receive effective, end-to end service provision based on a thorough assessment of need and risk, in order to reintegrate them into the community. To do this, the following will need to be in place: 1. case management which supports continuous service delivery throughout the resettlement process; 2. delivery of appropriate interventions based on the individual need, risk of self-harm and harm to others of each young person; 3. partnership working and the timely exchange of relevant information; and 4. participation of young people and their families or carers in the resettlement process.

v  Agreed on the on the importance of establishing and maintaining a dialogue with the families to pre-empt involvement of the police and other agencies.

v  Welcomed that development of multi-agency work, with statutory and other partners/stakeholders e.g. Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and Hackney YJS is the most effective way to meet all the needs of children and young people.

v  Agreed that it is important to have the right level of intervention within the Youth Justice Service (YJS) to allow there to be better outcomes for children and young people, as well as help to prevent offending and reoffending whilst meeting the needs of victims, families, and the wider community.

v  Agreed that whilst the reasons for disproportionality in youth justice are complex, and many lie outside of the criminal justice system. The youth justice system alone cannot solve the problem therefore LBTH and its partners have a responsibility to do everything they can to tackle disproportionality and to ensure that all children and young people are treated equally, no matter their background.

v  Noted that the YJS has identified the performance gaps within the service to create a learning plan for staff and highlight performance issues that staff are dealing with on a daily basis, that might hinder operational frontline service delivery.

v  Acknowledged that such a training needs analysis of the service which will make the training more efficient.

v  Agreed on the importance of investment in the provision of such services and working in partnership with stakeholders

v  Noted that the YJS has separated its board into Executive and Operational boards that allows there to be increased oversight of the priorities, strategic goals, and operational frontline service delivery.

v  Noted that with regard to the fact that 83% of children being supported by the YJS are from black and minority ethnic communities, the YJS is constantly scrutinising the service delivery to ensure that children are receiving the same outcomes and the same service, regardless of their ethnic background.

v  Noted that the Council is working with families (i) to develop their parenting skills; and (ii) support them in difficult situations.

v  Noted that the Council has established a dialogue with community/religious community works to support families.

v  Whilst accepting it needed to undertake careful scrutiny of the YJS it also acknowledged the excellent work being undertaken by the YJS especially the intensive supervision and surveillance programme (ISS) is the most rigorous non-custodial intervention available for young offenders. Which combines unprecedented levels of community-based surveillance with a comprehensive and sustained focus on tackling the factors that contribute to offending behaviour. The scheme targets the most active repeat young offenders and also those who commit the most serious crimes. The main aims of the programme being to (i) reduce the frequency and seriousness of offending in the target groups; (ii) tackle the underlying needs of offenders, with particular emphasis on education and training; and (iii) provide reassurance to communities through close surveillance backed up by rigorous enforcement.

v  Noted that as part of ISS programme young people undertake a range of activities including reparative activities, restoring the costs of crime and reintegration back into the community. The aim of the programme is lasting change for young people and their families and reassurance to victims and the community. It provides very troubled young people with an opportunity to turn their lives around.  A core part of the programme also focuses on education and training needs, allowing young people to develop their skills, and become more employable. Every young person has their own plan, tailored to tackle the root causes of their offending behaviour.

v  Agreed that getting a buy-in from the staff who will make the Strategic Plan come to life is critical, the staff need to be supported and leaders need to work hard to retain staff who are the YJS greatest asset because the stability they create enables LBTH to develop strong relational youth work with children and families – rather than doing things for them or to them.

v  Noted that (i) the staff really care about the children that their working with; (ii) the staff are stable group; (iii) the service leaders recognise that it is really important how they work with this group of staff.

v  Noted that the Strategic Plans will be supported in part to the (i) staff’s ability to engage children using restorative approaches and trauma informed practice (ii) team of dedicated in-house specialists (iii) family group conferencing which is family-led meeting in which the family and friends network come together to make a plan for a child. The process is supported by an independent coordinator who helps the family prepare for the family group conferences. Children are usually involved in their own family group conference, often with support from an advocate; (iv) positive relationships with local Courts; (v) being in the wider Supporting Families directorate and the support that provides.

v  Noted that the Management Board has responsibility for all aspects of YJS governance; to lead strategically across relevant partners and to ensure a high-quality service is provided to all children.

v  Noted that the YJS has a strong image for the service and how it can deliver a high-quality, personalised, and responsive service to all children?

v  Agreed that the YJS partnership arrangements need to actively support effective service delivery

v  Agreed on the importance that the YJS can demonstrate that it works effectively to support desistance and positive outcomes for children?

In conclusion, the Chair thanked Councillor Maium Talukdar (Cabinet Member for Education, Youth and Lifelong Learning (Statutory Deputy Mayor)) Susannah Beasley-Murray (Divisional Director of Supporting Families) Kelly Duggan (HOS Youth Justice & Young People's Service Children’s Services) Luke Norbury (Deputy Head of Youth Justice Service) and all attendees for a really helpful and informative discussion on the range of youth services that play a key role to support young people.