| Birmingham Youth Offending Team |
Birmingham Youth Offending Team
Geographical Area: Birmingham
Age Range Min: 10
Age Range Max: 17
Gender Specific: No
| Culturally Specific: No
Method of Access: Automatic referral for any young person entering the criminal justice system.
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| Description |
Young People entering the system are assessed using ASSET and based on their ASSET score and each individuals needs, a programme is put into place that will aim to have the maximum positive effect on their behaviour.
The service is also able to refer young people and families to other appropriate agencies to help with specific problems. If a young person has a substance misuse problem or just needs information and advice, then a referral will be made to one of the six drug workers based in the 5 local area YOTs and the City wide Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Team (ISSP). The drug workers are employed by HIAH (Birminghams' Young Persons Substance Misuse Service). They are trained in delivering auricular acupuncture and have access to all the services available at HIAH including a prescribing service and complementary therapies such as Reflexology, Shiatsu and Indian Head Massage. Each of the 5 YOTs also has a drugs support worker.
The 5 area teams now hold regular 'problematic substance misuses panels', that discuss young people who are involved in offending and require multi agency assessments and interventions. The Birmingham Youth Offending Service and HIAH have jointly recruited a Criminal Justice Co-ordinator who presently chairs these panels.
The YOS has recently received funding from the Youth Justice Board to recruit resettlement and aftercare workers who will work alongside the HIAH workers and deliver voluntary programmes of 25 hours per week to young people with problematic substance misuse. They will mainly focus their work with young people released from custodial sentences to support them in the community.
The YOT will also assist with accommodation and education issues. Local tutors from colleges in Birmingham and two teachers deliver short-term supplementary education of basic numeracy, literacy, and arts and crafts in the 5 area YOT teams. The service also works with each young person on their social skills, self identity and self-esteem. They also have 5 parenting workers who are jointly funded by the YOS, Education and from monies available to deliver parenting programmes. |
| Objectives |
| The Youth Offending Service has one overall aim: to prevent young people offending. |
| Staff Profile |
| 5 Drugs Workers/Youth Offending, 5 drug support workers, 1 Criminal Justice Co-ordinator, 5 Resettlement & Aftercare workers. Dedicated team leaders for Resettlement & Aftercare. |
| Linked Organisations |
| Birmingham YOT is a partnership between Social Services, West Midlands Probation Service, West Midlands Police, Birmingham Education Department and Birmingham Health Authority. |
