Agenda item

(1)       Ms Slaven presented a report which provided the context for and an introduction to the core objectives of the Kent Youth Justice Strategic Plan for 2010/11. It identified the resources which the County Council was providing for the multi agency Youth Offending Service.  The Plan would be reported, for approval, to the County Council on 13^th May 2010.  Members were invited to make comments and ask questions to which Ms Slaven and Mr Beaumont responded.  These included the following:-

• In response to question on the barriers to accommodation for Young people leaving custody, Mr Beaumont explained that local authorities with Social Services responsibilities had the responsibility to ensure accommodation was provided for these young people, working in partnership with local housing authorities.  Another important issue was the need to have a range of accommodation which included appropriate support and floating support to maintain young people in families.  Ms Slaven explained the importance of the Supporting Independence programme in assisting with this issue.  It was also important that there was not a concentration accommodation for these young people in certain areas.
• The issue of young people gaining a substance misuse problem in custody was raised.  Ms Slaven stated that Kent had 40 young people in custody at Cookham Wood at anytime, and although the risk of substance abuse in prison for adults was an issue it had not been identified as such in Cookham Wood.   In relation to data on young people offending and alcohol use, this was provided by the police at the point of arrest.  When a young person entered the youth justice system an assessment of needs was carried out.
• In response to a request for feedback on how successful restorative justice had been, Mr Beaumont explained that there were three mediation services across Kent, and that the County Council funded six visiting liaison officers.  He stated that the more serious the offence the more successful the outcome was likely to be and the less chance there was of re-offending.  Ms Slaven stated that Kent Police had launched a restorative justice model with schools and it would be important to look at the impact of that. 
• It was suggested that it would be helpful to have a baseline study of 16-19 year olds showing where they are and what they were doing.  Reference was also made to County Councils new role following the disbanding of the Learning and Skills Council which covered 16-19 year olds, where as young offenders were 16-25 year old.  Ms Slaven referred to the New Skills/New Lives model.  In relation to the work previously carried out by the Learning and Skills Council there were strong links via the Head of the 14-16 unit and the County Manager for the Supporting Independence programme.  She agreed that this could be made more explicit in the Plan.
• The importance for working with the Police to encourage them to take a greater role in prevention was emphasised.

(2)       RESOLVED that the objectives of the Kent Youth Justice Strategic Plan and the comments on the contribution the County Council is making with respect to improving both public safety and the life chances of those both at risk of entering the youth justice system and those who have offended be noted.