Coventry Youth Justice Service - Print version

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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:

  1. Children, young people, and victims, first and at the centre of what we do
  2. One Coventry Approach; everyone working together to make a difference  
  3. Making a difference/reduce reoffending; safer communities, safer children and young people
  4. Workforce valued, motivated, skilled, confident and sustainable
  5. 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 [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/cyjsdiversionsprivacynotice].

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 [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/youth-offending-service/coventry-youth-offending-service/3] – this is available to everyone and we hope it helps anyone supporting a child at the Police station.

View the video transcript [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/directory-record/59685/coventry-youth-justice-service]

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 logo

Youth Justice Service

Please use the entrance for Coventry City Council Customer Service in the Upper Precinct.

Address: Floor 2
Customer Service Centre
Upper Precinct
Coventry CV1 1FS

Telephone: 024 7683 1414 [tel:02476831414]

Public feedback

Safeguarding 

We all have a duty to ensure the safeguarding of all children and young people. If you think a child/young person is in immediate danger always call the emergency services on 999. If you think your referral requires immediate attention or advice contact the MASH on 024 7678 8555 in addition to completing the referral form [https://myaccount.coventry.gov.uk/service/Children_s_Services___Multi_agency_referral_and_initial_information].

Should you or your family require support of your own, you can contact one of the eight family hubs across Coventry. Staff that work at the family hubs will help you find and get help from different partnering agencies within the area. Find out more information on the advice and support available. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/familyhubs]

Reparation

Reparation is a scheme delivered by Coventry Youth Justice Service designed to ensure children and young people appropriately payback for the wrongs they have done, for the benefit of victims and our local community. We are continually looking for new reparation activities that children and young people can take part in and we would greatly appreciate your opinion as to which community projects you would like to see our young people engage in. 

If you have any ideas please complete our public feedback form [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/projectsfeedback]. Thank you.

Take a look at some photos from recent projects.

Hover over and scroll through the photos.

[https://www.flickr.com/photos/coventrycc/albums/72157677499436501]

Youth justice service logo

Youth Justice Service

Please use the entrance for Coventry City Council Customer Service in the Upper Precinct.

Address: Floor 2
Customer Service Centre
Upper Precinct
Coventry CV1 1FS

Telephone: 024 7683 1414 [tel:02476831414]

Acting as an Appropriate Adult for a child at the Police Station

Acting as an Appropriate Adult (AA)

An AA’s role is to support a child at the Police station and make sure they are treated fairly. AAs must be 18 or over but it cannot be someone from the Police or a solicitor who is attending in a professional capacity. The first choice should always be an adult who knows the young person - a parent or carer is always best where possible.

So, what happens next?

First of all, the child will be offered a solicitor and it is in their best interests to have one. You can insist on one being provided before the interview starts. We suggest

A solicitor should always be present in the interview.

You as the Appropriate Adult introduce yourself at the front desk. The officer will arrange for you to be taken to the Custody Suite (Cell Block)

Upon arrival at the cell block ask the Custody Sergeant if a solicitor has been provided.

You will be present when the child is read his/her rights which are:

  • To have someone informed of their arrest
  • To consult a solicitor
  • Get any medical help they may need
  • To consult the PACE (Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984) codes of practice

If there is anything in the rights you don’t understand then do ask for it to be explained. If you have any complaints, ask to speak to the Custody Sergeant who will be able to help.

You will also be present if the child has to have their fingerprints/DNA and or photographs taken to make sure this is done fairly.

What you must do at the interview

The interview will be recorded, and at the start of the recording you will be asked to identify yourself for the record and state your role. For example:

I am (state your name) acting as an Appropriate Adult for this child.

The child will be cautioned at the beginning of the interview, and it is important for you to check they understand what that means. We explain it to children like this:

You do not have to say anything – this means you don’t heave to reply to questions today if you don’t want to

But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned, something you later rely on at court – if later down the line you suddenly have an alibi and it wasn’t mentioned today people might wonder why you didn’t say anything about it

Anything you do say may be given in evidence – anything you tell the Police today can be used in Court if it might help to prove you are guilty

During the interview you are expected not just to observe, but to safeguard the rights of the child and to ensure that the interview is conducted fairly. For example, making sure the child understands the questions being asked, or asking for a break if the child is getting upset or frustrated.

You can interrupt the interview when you think it’s necessary to request clarification for the child or if you feel the interview is not being conducted fairly.

At the end of the interview a time will be given when the interview and recording ended.

Outcome

Following the interview the Police may take one of the following actions:

  • No further action – nothing else will happen, although the Police may refer the child to us for voluntary work. This is called the ‘Diversion’ project.
  • Bail the child to return to the police station at a certain time and date
  • Give the child a Community Resolution – this means the child will do some work with the Police for a few weeks but nothing else will happen
  • Referral to the Coventry Youth Justice Service for an Out of Court Disposal (OOCD) – this is us offering support instead of the child going to Court
  •  Charge and bail the child to attend Court. Police can attach conditions to the bail such as living at a certain address, or a curfew
  • Charge the child to Court on the same day – they will go there straight from the cells
  • After talking to us about it the Police could refuse bail and charge the child to Court – if this happens the child usually stays overnight in a safe place to appear at Court on the following day (or on Monday if they are refused bail on a Saturday)

If a referral to YJS is the outcome a Youth Justice Officer will contact you soon to introduce themselves and arrange a time to meet you and your child.

Download and print the Acting as an Appropriate Adult for a Child at the Police Station leaflet [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/7545/acting-as-an-appropriate-adult-for-a-child-at-the-police-station].

Youth justice service logo

Youth Justice Service

Please use the entrance for Coventry City Council Customer Service in the Upper Precinct.

Address: Floor 2
Customer Service Centre
Upper Precinct
Coventry CV1 1FS

Telephone: 024 7683 1414 [tel:02476831414]

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