TO BE PUBLISHED July 2024
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference will discuss next steps for youth justice in England and Wales.
It will bring together stakeholders and policymakers to assess the implementation and effectiveness of the NPCC Child Gravity Matrix Framework published last year, the tool used to assist in decisions for the most appropriate outcome for children, taking into account the offence committed and mitigating circumstances.
The seminar agenda also examines the conditions and outcomes of youth custody, including priorities for the opening of new secure schools, following the joint thematic inspection of work with children subject to remand in youth detention from the HM Inspectorate of Probation, which found that three quarters of young people awaiting sentence are remanded in custody, and the subsequent publication of government’s Action Plan.
Further sessions include discussion on strategies for prevention and diversion away from the youth justice system, including strategies and best practice for improving attainment and access to education, supporting SEND provision, developing multi-agency coordination, and priorities for safeguarding and supporting vulnerable groups.
We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with: Sarah Mackie, Deputy Director, Youth Justice Policy, Ministry of Justice; Steve Chalke, Founder, Oasis Charitable Trust; and a senior speaker confirmed from the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales.
Overall, areas for discussion include:
- Child Gravity Matrix Framework:
- assessing provisions of the triage tool, which aims to help officers establish the most appropriate outcome for young offenders
- the new score range and disposal table, and the FTE checklist
- evaluating the effectiveness of framework implementation, including addressing concerns over prescriptiveness
- multi-agency coordination:
- assessing approaches and best practice for identifying vulnerable groups
- priorities for improving coordination and data-sharing between youth justice practitioners and key external agencies such as police, courts, education and healthcare
- considering how barriers to multi-agency working can be tackled, including options for incentives and evaluation frameworks
- workforce:
- assessing support needed for the youth justice workforce, including training and workload pressure
- exploring factors that determine the allocation of funding and resources
- youth detention
- assessing MOJ’s action plan, published in response to the thematic inspection of children subject to remand in youth detention
- considering further priorities to improve the experiences of children on remand
- secure schools:
- evaluating the provisions of secure schools
- priorities for increasing attainment, literacy and access to qualification for those in youth custody, with discussion on next steps for alternative provision
- supporting young people with SEND:
- assessing current provision
- priorities for providing additional support and safeguarding moving forward
- managing transition to the adult criminal justice system:
- priorities for rehabilitation of youth offenders and those in custody to minimise their time in the CJS
- what is needed to bridge the gap in support and resources between the youth justice system and the CJS
- system coordination and exploring priorities moving forward
The conference will be an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who are due to attend from DfE; HMPPS; Home Office; MOJ; and the Welsh Government.
