Agenda item

Officers introduced the item, outlining the recommendations to note the progress and strategic direction in delivering the Youth Justice Service’s five-year strategic plan; and to note the key priority areas guiding current and future work.

Officers outlined the five strategic priority areas, aligned to the five-year strategic plan:

1. Over-representation and disproportionality

A significant issue within the Youth Justice Service, with a co-produced disproportionality action plan now in place across the partnership.

2. Child first practice

Ensuring children are central to service design, implementation and evaluation, and emphasis on co-production and embedding the voice of the child throughout all interventions.

3. Victims and restorative justice

Offending occurred within broader community harms. Work aligned with the Council’s strategic commitments to safe and strong communities, and thriving, healthy households. There was a focus on victims as well as children.

4. Prevention and early intervention

Strengthening work prior to the age of criminal responsibility (10 years old), and aligning with wider Council transformation work, including Family First and early help. Work was also ongoing to reduce stigma on families when accessing help, particularly children who come through the Youth Justice Service.

5. Reducing reoffending

This was a core mission of the service. There had been significant reductions in first-time entrants to the Youth Justice Service, and children entering custody due to offending. There was also an increased engagement in Education, Training and Employment (ETE) for children within the Youth Justice Service.

Members highlighted that funding for Project Turnaround had ended in March 2025 and asked if there was any update with regard to future funding. Officers advised that funding would progress into the coming year and details of the funding model were awaited.

Members asked for examples of effective multi-agency practice and its impact on re-offending. Officers highlighted strong collaboration with health partners (CNWL) who support children with speech and language needs, neurodiversity, and chronic conditions. All children who come through the Youth Justice Service received a speech and language screening, enabling holistic assessment and tailored interventions. This had contributed to the reduction in numbers. Officers also highlighted the disproportionality action plan that had been co-produced with health, education, police, probation, with governance through the Youth Justice Strategic Partnership Board. This looked to address the over-representation of young people from the global majority within the Youth Justice Service. Officers further added that multi-agency activity was monitored via a High-Risk Panel and a Strategic High-Risk Group, and through reporting to the Children’s Safeguarding Board. Young people directly participated in multi-agency work, including Stop and Search reviews, and through Walking in Our Shoes training. Officers added that strong leadership by the Youth Justice Strategic Board drives accountability and change. Reoffending rates had fallen from 40.5% to 37.5% (Ministry of Justice figures), with a local estimate of 32.8%, below the London average. The AXIS Service (soft intelligence early intervention model) has contributed to a reduction in first-time entrants (from 64 in 2019–20 to 46 in 2023–24).

Members commended the report and asked whether reductions in youth offending corresponded with police data, particularly amid increases in shoplifting reported by residents. Officers advised that no such correlation could be confirmed. Focus remained on early intervention, diversionary pathways and preventing entry into the Youth Justice Service. Community-facing interventions and programmes such as Project Turnaround and Project Engage broadened opportunities to support young people at teachable moments, including following arrest. It was emphasised that early intervention was central to all children’s services. Work focused on reaching children before offending occurs, through engagement, diversion and understanding community needs. The aim was to balance reducing youth offending with minimising impact on communities. High levels of restorative justice participation (around 90%) supported victims effectively. Preventing offences remained the central goal. Members referenced the good practice from the Making Hayes Safer project which had been discussed at the recent Corporate Parenting Panel.

Members asked whether young people across the borough had equal access, given that children preferred interventions in familiar surroundings. Youth Justice work was referral-driven, supporting children from any part of the borough. The Youth Offer operated as a mobile service, increasingly flexible in reaching areas of identified need. Deployment was guided by local data and intelligence.

Members asked about engagement with schools. Officers noted that there was strong partnership working with schools, supported through a dedicated ETE Officer (education, training, and employment) co-located within Education and a new designated social care officer; close collaboration with the Skills Hub and Alternative Provision providers; and involvement in operational high-risk panels and strategic groups. There were particularly strong links with SEN teams.

Members asked whether the service tracked children after leaving the Youth Justice Service to ensure sustained engagement in education, employment or training. Officers noted that this would be taken forward for consideration. Officers added that current data showed 87% engagement in full-time education at end of intervention, and improvement in engagement for non-school-aged children from 56% to 67% in education, employment and training. Work with post-18 partners aimed to maintain positive transitions into adulthood.

RESOLVED: That the Committee:

1. Noted the progress and strategic direction outlined in the Hillingdon Youth Justice Five-Year Strategy; and

2. Noted the continued focus on prevention, early intervention and restorative justice as key priorities for youth justice in Hillingdon