Youth Offending Service
More than meets the eye (published 10 December 2008)
Southend Youth Offending Service primary aim is to prevent offending and re-offending. It works with all children and young people aged from 10-18 at risk of offending and those receiving a Reprimand, Final Warning or Court Order. It also however offers an extensive range of projects designed to meet the ever-changing needs of local children and young people and their families. Here’s a taster of what’s on offer…
The Family Intervention Project works with whole families who are at risk of eviction due to anti-social behaviour. The project uses a twin-track approach of support and enforcement and challenges the most prevalent offenders of anti-social behaviour within a community. The project’s main objectives are to stop anti-social behaviour, prevent repeat cycles of homelessness, provide sustainable routes back to settled housing for homeless families and help achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes for children and young people. Referrals can me made to FIP at fip@southend.gov.uk.
This project has been extended from the New Year to also take referrals for families where one or more family members are at risk of becoming involved in anti-social behaviour and/or offending, and where domestic violence is a factor to provide comprehensive support that will address the needs of all family members.
Challenge & Support is designed to work with children, young people and their families to challenge behaviour and motivate change. The project works with local services to assess young people’s needs and offers to support for those involved in or at risk of anti-social behaviour. Warning letters, formal interviews, Acceptable Behaviour Contracts, Youth Inclusion and Support panels, Restorative Justice (community circles) are just a few ways in which the project engages with the young person and their families. Referrals can be made to this project at smaart@southend.gov.uk
The Youth Inclusion Support Panel (YISP) is a programme committed to preventing children and young people from offending. Sometimes young people go through a difficult time in their lives – get into trouble – excluded from school – do things they may regret in later life. They and their parents need to be able to make decisions about how they will tackle these issues, put them right and what support they will need to do that. In this situation, the project will work with the young person (aged between 5 and 18) and their family on a voluntary basis, in partnership with Education, Social Services, Police and Health Services. Referral by CAF to Child and Family Panel.
YOS Parenting – works one-to-one with a caseload of 12-20 hard to reach parents within the home environment. Parents are also invited to attend group-parenting programmes such as Triple P and Strengthening Families, which are run throughout the year. These programmes are facilitated by YOS staff qualified to deliver the materials. Referrals can be sent to johnsirkett@southend.gov.uk.
Next Steps is an education provision for young people on a court order who are excluded, permanently excluded, awaiting a school placement (perhaps new to the area), school refusers or school phobic. This revamped project will run 5 days a week and provide a diverse timetable of literacy, numeracy, lessons which address the social and emotional needs of the young people, sports and creative activities. A current bid aims to secure a permanent venue for this intervention.
Streetwise is a project offering confidential help, support and advice to young women and men aged between 10-17 years who are at risk of sexual exploitation. Following referral, the project can establish the trust of the young person with a view to working closely together. With a working relationship secured, Streetwise can then start to enable the young person to return to education, employment or training, possibly return them to the safety of their families / carers, offer a counselling service, encourage regular health checks and ultimately work towards keeping them safe. Referrals can be sent to wendyrobinson@southend.gov.uk.
Youth Crime Action Plan (published 5 December 2008) |
In Southend the Youth Offending Service have been successful in reducing anti-social behaviour in areas where we have had targeted interventions to do so. Because Southend is successful in this area of work, we are one of 69 authorities that have been given additional funding to implement the government’s Youth Crime Action Plan at the local level. Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Head of the Youth Offending Service, Carol Compton says: "The Youth Crime Action Plan, aims to stop young people committing low level crime and anti-social behaviour before their activities become more serious. We need to send a strong message to Southend young people that they must play by the rules and also reassure communities that youth offending is being dealt with swiftly and effectively. “We are still working on the details of this plan. It includes:
We will develop ‘Operation Staysafe’ by undertaking monthly checks to protect vulnerable children who are out late at night without adult supervision. Such children will be taken to a safe place where appropriate in order to re-unite them with parents. Parenting workers will visit the family again within 24 hours to identify why the young person is on the streets and to offer appropriate support. Where appropriate, young people and/or parents can be referred to a range of agencies. Southend is one of 31 local authority areas that are piloting this work. There will be some additional targeted after-school patrols between 3pm to 6pm. Reparation activities are to be carried out on Friday and Saturday nights. This will involve young people on a court order being given ‘pay-back’ community activity. The public could identify the reparation work they would like young people on community sentences to carry out Some children are particularly vulnerable and at greater risk of offending. To help them we will be expanding the Family Intervention Project to work with families with children at high risk of offending and where domestic violence is also a factor. Comprehensive support will be given to all family members. We will also be identifying young people involved in or at risk of anti social behaviour and crime, through our existing ‘Challenge & Support’ project, and offering support or activating powers where necessary. |