WORCESTERSHIRE & HEREFORDSHIRE

YOUTH OFFENDING SERVICE

The Youth Offending Service is a multi-agency partnership formed as a statutory requirement by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. All Local Authorities with responsibility for Education and Social Services were required to form such partnerships and Worcestershire County Council and Herefordshire Council decided to form a youth offending service together. The statutory partner agencies are the Local Education Authority, Social Services, Health, Police and Probation services for both Worcestershire and Herefordshire.

The Youth Justice System is overseen by The Youth Justice Board of England and Wales that was also set up by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. More information about the YJB and the youth Justice system can be obtained from their website at www.youth-justice-board.gov.uk.

Our Aims

The main aim of the Youth Offending Service is to prevent offending by children and young people. We mainly work with young people between the ages of ten and 17 years old.

During 2003 a team has been set up to do work with young people aged between 8 and 13 years old to prevent them becoming involved in offending. This work is done in partnership with the Children’s fund.

Working with Partners to Prevent Offending by Young People

Services to the courts, including pre-sentence and specific sentence reports

Appropriate Adult Services to enable interviews with the Police when parents are not available.

Comprehensive individual assessment (ASSET) and planning with all young people referred to the YOS.

Programmes for young people who receive a final warning from the police.

Bail Supervision and Support when young people are at risk of being sent to custody before they have been sentenced by the court.

Supervision of Young people given community sentences by the court

Management of Referral order panels involving panel members who are volunteers from the local community.

Intensive Supervision and Support programmes for young people who at risk of being given custodial sentences.

Support of young people serving custodial sentences and supervision when they are released on license.

Breaching of court orders to return young people to court if they have failed to comply with the conditions of their court orders.

Provision of Parenting support to the families of young people who are offenders.

Work with victims of crimes committed by young people including reparation and mediation, in association with victim support.

Work to reduce the fear of crime and to prevent anti-social behaviour and crime by young people, in partnership with other agencies such as the Children’s Fund and community safety partnerships.

How to contact the Youth Offending Service

YOS Central Office

Head of Service:- Andrew McConnochie
Restorative and Preventative Justice Manager:- Peter Heath
Early Interventions and Development Manager:- John Hunt
Information and Performance Manager:- Teresa Gindi

North Worcestershire Youth Offending Team

Team Manager:- Myron Lescott

South Worcestershire Youth Offending Team

Team Manager:- Julie Kendall

Herefordshire Youth Offending Team

Team Manager:- Andrew White