Time for Positive Youth Justice Children First, Offenders Second Ben Byrne, Head of Youth Support Surrey

Positive Youth Justice: Children First, Offenders Second 4 principles promoting: Children’s rights & adults’ responsibilities Inclusion & desistance Diversion & systems management Relationship-based partnerships – inc. participation, engagement, legitimacy

Positive Youth Justice: Children First, Offenders Second CFOS evolves youth justice beyond its contemporary risk focus Promotes a principled, progressive and practical whole- system approach providing a distinctive approach to children in conflict with the law See: Haines and Case: ‘PYJ, CFOS’; Byrne and Case ‘Towards a Positive Youth Justice’ (Journal of Community Safety); Byrne and Brooks ‘Post-YOT Youth Justice (Howard League)

Surrey’s Positive Youth Justice – the story so far Diversion (lowest FTE in the country) Integrated – non-siloed (no YOT) within ‘one stop shop’ for a range of vulnerable YP’s Restorative – for young person and victim Relationship-based service, built on ‘what works’ for adolescents Participative – engaging, accessible, inclusive Future focused – emphasis on education, skills and employability

The Youth Restorative Intervention What is it? Informal disposal with contract involving YP and victim Who is it for? Admission and anything too serious for on-street disposal but not indictable-only When is it used / how often? 1000 pa – joint decision making by Police /SCC

Success of the Youth Restorative Intervention Positive outcomes externally evaluated Children- first policing – a positive driver for YJ 1000 YP’s pa without a criminal record p.a. 62% less court: 80% less custody 18% reduction in re-offending 85-90% victim satisfaction YJ reforms saved £3m for council per year: re- investment in preventative services

The Positive Turn? Austerity – we can’t afford negative YJ Build on success of diversion, restoration Devolution / public service reform – local areas can drive new agenda YJ Review – children-first and education-centred agenda Children-first policing – a positive driver for YJ

Implications for national practice? Stop being a mini probation service Stop doing offender assessments (Asset+) and siloed YJ interventions Integration of YJ into children’s service Persistent offending as safeguarding: right help at the right time outside of the YJS Children-first policing Inspection / regulation: by Ofsted / DfE incorporating HMIP / MoJ expertise and requirements