Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet today approved the plan for Youth Justice in Warwickshire for the period 2023/24
Each year, Warwickshire County Council is required to present its Youth Justice Strategic Plan to central government. This plan sets out how, through the delivery of a range of services and interventions, the Council will do its utmost to ensure that children and young people are kept out of the formal criminal justice system.
The Youth Justice Strategic Plan is used to guide the activity of the Youth Justice Partnership in delivering services that meet the agreed priorities of:
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Prevention of Serious Youth Violence;
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Prevention of and improved intervention for children who present with harmful sexualised behaviours;
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Embedding the ARC Trauma Informed Model and improving the interventions offer for children; and
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Focusing on Core Good Practice – including reviewing all policies, procedures and agreements
The Youth Justice Plan also covers performance for the period 2022/23 against nationally agreed targets. Warwickshire has always had a positive track record against these important metrics and this year was no different. Cabinet heard that Warwickshire remained below the West Midlands averages for young people receiving custodial sentences.
Cllr Sue Markham, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Children and Families said: “In Warwickshire we are rightly proud of our Youth Justice Team and Partnership and the incredible work that they do ensuring that our children and young people avoid custodial sentences through a range of targeted early-intervention and innovative services. We are very happy to have been able to approve the Youth Justice Strategic Plan for 2023/24.”
Following Cabinet’s approval, the Youth Justice Strategic Plan will be ratified by the Full Council on Tuesday 26 September.
More information about Youth Justice in Warwickshire can be found online: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/youthjustice