Agenda item

Members gave detailed consideration to the Youth Offending Service Plan in Doncaster for 2018/19 prior to deliberation by Cabinet and Full Council and confirmed their support of the Plan.  An overview was provided on the background to the plan and performance during the year.

Members heard about the work that had been undertaken to address issues within the Borough and how positive impacts had been made within the service for children and young people affected.  It was explained that performance was strong and had improved as indicated throughout the report.  It was recognised that there were challenges around lags in the reporting of information but Members noted the steps taken in response that included live tracking.

There was a brief discussion around Doncaster’s binary re-offending performance.  It was explained that the latest rate of 30.4% was close to where it was for the same quarter during the previous year.  It was explained that as cohorts were now measured quarterly rather than annual, the membership was much smaller leading to greater volatility in the rates from one cohort to the next.  It was advised that further work needed to be done to look at the underlying trend although Doncaster’s re-offending rate was consistently lower than the regional and national rates.

Members were pleased to hear how there was no young person at completion of an order who was without appropriate or suitable accommodation.  It was also outlined that the team benefited from a very good Education, Employment or Training (EET) service, a range of Personal Advisers and dedicated Under 16 staff to support the young person accessing suitable education.

Members heard about the ongoing and positive impact of EPIC who worked with those young people who might have become first time entrants and often focused on more than one approach.  The Committee was told how EPIC looked at cases where it was felt that there were no further options and ensures that the young person would be directed to the right resource. It was explained how work had been undertaken which included targeted action in youth crime hotspots, involved young people in a wide range of activities and engaged with communities and schools.  The Panel found the report interesting and were pleased to hear how the work of EPIC was constantly evolving and how the team was always striving for more through its forward thinking and innovative work.  For example, it was heard how that in relation to school exclusion, the team endeavoured to start with the young person at an earlier point before they reached that stage in the process.

In terms of other challenges on the horizon, Members were informed that more was being done to raise awareness about child criminal exploitation with professionals and that colleagues were developing a better understanding of issues, such as who was at risk.  Members were told of the increasing problem in Doncaster of gangs recruiting young people with view to selling drugs.

In conclusion to the above, Members were told about the ongoing successes that had been experienced within the Youth Service and how more resources were now being utilised upstream, achievements

RESOLVED that the Committee note and support the work outlined in the Youth Justice Plan 17/18.