Ministers are considering giving local leaders more control over services supporting children at risk of offending.
Youth Justice Minister Jake Richards met council leaders and specialists in youth justice, policing, children’s services and education in Manchester on Tuesday to discuss how vulnerable children could be identified and supported earlier.
Government is also looking at whether more decisions on youth justice and crime prevention should be made locally rather than by ministers in Whitehall.
Kate Green has been appointed as ‘Expert Adviser’ on youth justice devolution in England. She’ll report to ministers on how greater local decision-making could affect the way youth justice services work.
Richards said: ‘Too often, vulnerable children encounter a system where different services are working hard but not always together. If we are serious about cutting crime, we need to identify those at risk earlier and intervene before they become trapped in a cycle of offending.’
On Tuesday (15 September), Richards along with Children and Families Minister Josh MacAlister and Policing and Crime Minister Sarah Jones visited SHiFT in Manchester.
The company works with children and young people considered at high risk of entering custody or becoming involved in persistent offending.
Ministers were shown how staff from different services work together to support young people.
MacAlister, MP for Whitehaven and Workington, said: ‘Every young person deserves to grow up supported by the adults around them, like teachers and social workers who can help stop them from being drawn into crime.
‘We need better and earlier intervention for vulnerable children – from the children’s social care system to youth justice. That’s what [the] discussion in Manchester was about: giving local leaders the freedom to build that support around children before it’s too late.’
Image: Richard Bell/UnSplash
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