Contact: Philip Sutton, Head of Youth Offending Services, Tel No. 01962 876100

e-mail: [email protected]

1. Background

1.1 For the last two years, the Committee has used part of its January meeting to agree its plan of work for the remainder of the year. In 2001, the Committee received reports about the contribution that the five main partner agencies - Police, Probation, Social Services, Education and Health, - were making in relation to youth crime prevention. In 2002, Members considered the impact of "cross-cutting", inter-agency initiatives, such as Connexions, Children's Fund, Supporting People and Drug Action Teams.

1.2 This report makes proposals as to how the Committee might organise its programme for 2003.

2. Future role of the Combined Youth Justice Committee

2.1 The Combined Youth Justice Committee began as a joint Probation and Social Services Committee prior to local government re-organisation in 1997, and the creation of the wider Youth Offending Team partnership in 1998. It has provided an opportunity for Elected Members, and Members of other relevant Boards and Authorities, to support and oversee joint efforts to reduce offending.

2.2 The terms of reference for the Committee were last reviewed in March 2002, taking account of changes in local government decision making processes.

2.3 The Operational and Value for Money Review of Wessex Yot, suggested that the respective roles of the Yot Management Board, the Chief Officers' Group and the Combined Youth Justice Committee should be reviewed, with a view to ensuring that there is appropriate scrutiny without unnecessary duplication. It is proposed that the Committee should give consideration to its future role at a meeting in March and, after that, extend an invitation to the Chief Officers' Group and the Yot Management Board to a joint seminar on future governance arrangements.

3. An Annual Conference

3.1 In 2001 and 2002, the Committee organised a Youth Justice Conference, taking advantage of the excellent facilities offered by the Constabulary at Netley. Feedback from the 2002 conference suggested that Members welcomed the opportunity to hear from practitioners and service users, and suggested that this should be the format for the 2003 conference.

4. Effective Practice

4.1 The Youth Justice Board has introduced a national system for monitoring and inspecting the performance of Yot partnerships. Ten "Effective Practice Guides", the first in a larger series, have been published dealing with the following topics:

Swift Administration of Justice.

Final Warning Intervention.

Parenting

Assessment and Supervision.

Restorative Justice.

Offending Behaviour Programmes.

Education, Training and Employment.

Remand Management.

Young People who Sexually Abuse.

Mentoring.

Youth Offending Team Partnerships are required to introduce a system of internal audits of their performance in relation to each of these guides. The audits will lead to an action plan for the improvement of services which must be submitted to the Board. It is proposed that the Committee should receive an action plan covering at least one of the "Effective Practice Guides" at each meeting, commencing in March 2003.

4.2 In addition to the system of internal audits, Members may wish to know that Her Majesty's Inspector of Probation has been invited to lead a team of Inspectors drawn from all the relevant inspectorates. The joint inspectorate will begin work in 2003, but details of planned inspections are awaited.

5. Progress Reports

5.1 During 2001 and 2002, the Committee requested further reports on a number of topics as follows:

_ The effectiveness of Youth Justice Fora, (September 2001)

_ The education of young people in secure units, (January 2002)

_ The variation in sentencing patterns between the four youth court areas as they affect young offenders from different ethnic minority backgrounds, (March 2002).

_ Youth Crime Prevention Strategy, (September 2002).

5.2 It is proposed to report on all of the above matters during 2003.

6. Summary

6.1 It is proposed that the Committee's work plan for 2003 should, in summary, comprise:

_ A review of the role of the Committee.

_ A conference aimed at publicising local services.

_ The scrutiny of regular audits of "Effective Practice".

_ Items carried over from 2001-02.

7. Recommendation

7.1 It is recommended that the Committee:

i. adopt the work-plan for 2003 as set out in this report, and in particular

- invite Chief Officers and Members of the Yot Management Board to a seminar to discuss roles and responsibilities;

- ask the Head of Youth Offending Services to organise its annual conference.

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents:

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB. The list schedules:

(1) Published works.

(2) Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

None

P. Sutton

13.1.03

cyjcworkplan 2003