The Coventry Youth Justice Service is responsible for co-ordinating the provision of the local youth justice services, as set out in section 38 of the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act. The responsibilities and aims are:
- Preventing and reducing offending/reoffending by children
- Reducing the number of children entering the criminal justice system
- Reducing the number of children receiving a custodial sentence
We work in partnership with a number of statutory and voluntary agencies with the shared vision of:
- Children, young people, and victims, first and at the centre of what we do
- One Coventry Approach; everyone working together to make a difference
- Making a difference/reduce reoffending; safer communities, safer children and young people
- Workforce valued, motivated, skilled, confident and sustainable
- Service open and honest; listening responsive, effective and safe.
We work with children, young people, families and victims of crime.
Out of Court Disposals
Assessing and delivering interventions to children and young people receiving out-of-court-disposals (before Court). Successful intervention and preventative work at this stage can prevent children and young people from entering the Criminal Justice System.
Read the Coventry Youth Justice Service Diversion project privacy notice.
Community orders
The management and delivery of community-based Court Orders. A range of interventions is offered based upon assessed need to prevent further offending behaviour.
Custodial sentences
Together with the Custodial estate, the management and delivery of secure estate sentences and resettlement back into the community.
Working with the courts
- Working with the Youth Court and Crown Courts (in terms of the provision of a court team, Bail and Health assessments, the writing of pre-sentence reports and stand down reports to help the sentencing decisions).
Victim services
- Victim services; to ensure the victim’s voice is heard and listened to and deliver restorative processes.
Parenting/carer support
- Offering parental/carer assessments and services and support and the management of parenting orders.
This animation was co-designed by a parent who worked with CYJS in 2023 and reflects her journey during that time; she wanted to share it with others to encourage everyone to make use of the CYJS parenting offer as she has found it a great support. Through the process of creating this animation, we realised that those acting as Appropriate Adults in the Police station needed more support, as this is a role few parents/carers will be familiar with but is really important. As a result, we have created a leaflet about being an Appropriate Adult – this is available to everyone and we hope it helps anyone supporting a child at the Police station.
The Youth Justice Service (YJS) includes staff/leads from:
- Positive Choices (A specialist young person's substance misuse service)
- Prospects (careers)
- Children’s Services
- Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust
By bringing together the skills, experience and knowledge of a broad range of professionals, we are able to assess and deliver interventions in a holistic manner. It helps to provide timely, appropriate and effective interventions to children and young people who offend, their families and the victims of youth crime.
The young people accessing CYJS give regular feedback and have an input into the service. Together they have developed 12 Professional Standards:
We create an annual plan, which outlines our key actions against the year’s priorities:
Youth Justice Service
Please use the entrance for Coventry City Council Customer Service in the Upper Precinct.
Address: Floor 2Customer Service Centre
Upper Precinct
Coventry CV1 1FS