4.3 Young People in Criminal Courts |
SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER
This chapter details the interface between Lincolnshire Children's Services and Lincolnshire Youth Offending Service. It deals with young people in criminal courts, and details the various responsibilities of the two organisations, and at what level decisions should be taken.
OTHER RELEVANT CHAPTERS
Young People in Police Stations Procedure
Electronic Monitoring Procedure
Young People and Custodial Sentences Procedure
Young People and Remand Procedure
Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Orders Procedure
This is a new chapter for June 2011
Contents
- Reside where Directed by the Local Authority
- Court Attendance by Children's Services Representative
- Bail Support/Supervision Range
- Review of the Care Plan for Children/Young People in Looked After Care
1. Reside where Directed by the Local Authority
When there is a proposal for the young person to reside as directed, this should only be agreed after liaison with the relevant Children's Services Team Manager, if the young person has an allocated Social Care Worker or via a request for an Initial Assessment to the Customer Service Centre.
The Youth Offending Service (YOS) will seek to persuade Courts not to impose conditional bail to reside where directed until such liaison has taken place.
Reside as directed does not mean that the child is accommodated or will be accommodated. The YOS worker at Court may wish to inform the Court as to the likely place of residence if such an order is made.
Remanded to the care of the Local Authority will require the completion of a Core Assessment and Care Plan as the child/young person will become a Looked After Child (LAC). Also see the Young People and Remands Procedure.
In cases of escalating offending by a child/young person who is already open to Children's Services, the allocated worker should consider a request for the YOS for assistance/advice. There should be close liaison between the YOS and Children's Services to avoid the possibility of either service not being made aware of such serious offending behaviour.
2. Court Attendance by Children's Services Representative
The Child/Young Persons allocated worker (or appropriate representative) should attend Court if the child is a looked after child.
A Residential Social Worker or Foster Carer may be present to offer support but not as an alternative to the allocated worker (or appropriate representative) who should attend to represent the local authority in the role of corporate parent.
3. Bail Support/Supervision Range
A range of bail support services including ISSP ( Intensive Surveillance and Supervision Programme ) could be available to reduce the likelihood of an escalation of offending. Where appropriate, this is a YOS function.
4. Review of the Care Plan for Children/Young People in Looked After Care
Where a child/young person who is already looked after enters the criminal court system, the Social Worker in discussion with the Independent reviewing Officer will need to consider convening an early review of the Care Plan.
End