Agenda item

Report of the Director of Children Services.

The Committee received the Youth Justice Plan Report 2024-2027, which provided an outline of how the Local Authority would deliver and finance youth justice services in Harrow.  This was in line with the expectation of the legal duty under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

The Committee heard that Harrow Youth Justice Service had met outcomes and delivered positively against national indicators with regard to: reducing first time entrants into the criminal justice system; reducing re-offending by children and young people; and reducing the use of custody for children.

In the discussion that ensued, the Committee raised the following comments and asked questions:

·                 It would be difficult to judge the performance of the Youth Justice Service without performance indicators and questioned when these would be released by the Youth Justice Board.  The Committee were informed that it was not known when the performance indicators would be released as the process was controlled by the Youth Justice Board.  This was a national issue, and not unique to Harrow.  It was a complex, multifaceted process, which relied on data from other partners as well.  The issue was raised at every opportunity with the Youth Justice Board;

·                 Members questioned the risk in relation to transitioning information technology (IT) services and were informed that there was a dedicated team working on the IT transition, and risk mitigating measures included testing and training.  It was envisaged that challenges would be resolved before the transition was effected;

·                 Citing pages 28 and 29 of the Plan, it was observed that the Service was now staffed by two Police Constables (PCs), whilst there was only one the previous year.  The Committee were informed that, in terms of the difference to service delivery, the addition of one extra PC had brought numerous positive changes, such as reduction in re-offending, and more support to victims.  Furthermore, the PCs were able to attend school assemblies more frequently, and give talks to young persons.  This had given schools confidence that their young persons were better supported to prevent crime before it started;

·                 Whilst the Plan provided a positive picture on the reduction in youth offending, it could be observed from Councillors’ communication with communities that youth offending in Harrow was getting worse.  This could also be attributed to the reduced number of social workers dedicated to the youth.  The Committee were informed that the data on the reduced number of youth offences was obtained from the Police, which was a more accurate presentation of statistics.   However, certain “hotspots” in the borough, such as Harrow Bus Station, continued to have high incidents of youth crime recorded;

·                 Members asked what additional support for youth mental health and child sexual exploitation was being given when there were budgetary constraints.  They were informed that the Council actually contributed the largest sum to the budget for youth services in the borough, which showed the Administration’s commitment to youth programmes.  Furthermore, the Police contribution ensured that preventative measures were embedded within their resources.  This led to improved outcomes for victims;

·                 In response to a question about the assistance given to young adults after the age of 18, as it was proven that resources dwindled after that age, the Committee were informed that whilst there was a difference in the support given to post-18 young persons, there were dedicated Probation Officers who managed the transition until they turned 25-years-old.  As Harrow did not have many cases to manage, it meant there was adequate support for youths after turning 18-years-old.

The Committee requested that, where reasonably available, more detailed data on outcomes of programmes be made available, including waiting times on key services, such as, the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

RESOLVED:  That the comments of the Committee be referred to Cabinet for consideration.