Introduction

1. Youth to adult transitions 14 March 2013Frances DoneChair Youth Justice Board for England and Wales

2. Introduction • Young offenders (18-20) are • disproportionately represented in caution and conviction statistics • provide a large proportion of the Probation Service caseload • the peak age group of offenders • At this age individuals are making the transition to adulthood: • Education to work • Living at home to living independently • Transition between health and other services at 18

3. The numbers • approx 5000 – 6000 young people on community sentences made transition from a YOT to a Probation Trust in 2011/12 • 62% of 18 year-olds sentenced during 2010 had at least one previous conviction when they were aged 10-17 under YOT supervision • approx 400 transfers a year from the young person’s custodial estate to the adult estate

4. The issues… • No consistent transition process across England and Wales • Vast differences between youth justice services and adult justice services • Key relationships broken when young people move to adult services • Young person can potentially “fall off a cliff” at 18 as key services disappear

5. The issues… (cont.) • Information sharing often inadequate • Looked After Child status can get “lost” • Serious incidents have led to criticisms in several inquiries, reviews and investigations. • Finding of HMI Probation led thematic inspection on transitions

6. Current work to improve transitions from youth to adult justice services • YJB led Youth to Adult Transitions Framework • advice for managing transitions in the community • NOMS led protocol for transitions within custody • guidance for managing transitions in custody • Youth to Adult (Y2A) Portal • a web based application used to securely transfer information in the following areas: YOT to Probation Trust, YOT to Young Adult YOI.

7. Youth to Adult Transitions Framework • Advice to YOT and Probation Trust managers as they develop their local Y2A transition protocols • The framework has three main sections: - Principles for good transitions - Preparing the young person and their family for transfer - YOT to Probation Trust case transfer process • The framework needs local buy-in and strong leadership to improve transitions

8. Youth to Adult (Y2A) Portal • The Y2A Portal provides: • up-to-date information transferred in a secure and timely manner • summary views, allowing practitioners to review key pieces of information more rapidly and easily • a structured and auditable process for transferring information • Two successful pilots • Roll out across England and Wales to begin later in 2013 • Scope to extend the Portal into a number of other areas across the CJS

9. Probation good practice on transitions • Oxfordshire YOS and Thames Valley Probation joint workshops to: • understand each other’s service and systems • understand the importance and advantages of transferring and sharing information • sharing understanding on how to engage with young people. • Croydon’s Community Hub for 18–24-year-olds and probation team for 18 – 24 year-olds • Kent plan to commission interventions specifically for offenders aged 18–25 • Leeds ensures every young person transferred from a YOT receives at least weekly meetings

10. Transforming Rehabilitation consultation – implications for progress in transitions • Potential loss of focus by Probation with so much change to manage • Risk to coherent transitions work if it involves multiple providers • YJB response to government ? • All young people transferring at 18 should be managed by public sector probation staff • Concerns in relation to private providers taking on and securely managing sensitive data

11. Your action is needed • Use the Youth to Adult Transitions Framework to develop or review your local transition protocol with your YOT • Subscribe to the transitions web pages on the Justice website: http://www.justice.gov.uk/youth-justice/youth-to-adult-transitions • Share examples of your good practice with the YJB for dissemination • To achieve….. • Greater support for young offenders • Reduced reoffending and smaller caseloads • Fewer victims

12. Youth to adult transitions 14 March 2013Frances DoneChair Youth Justice Board for England and Wales