The Department of Health has today published Healthy Children Safer Communities – a strategy which seeks to identify areas in the youth justice system, where mainstream services can intervene earlier, faster and more effectively to meet the health and well-being needs of vulnerable children.
The full report is available on the Department of Health website [opens in new window].
Frances Done, Chair of the YJB, said:
“We welcome this publication highlighting the need for greater engagement of agencies responsible for health, social care, education and justice, all these play a vital part in keeping children and young people out of the youth justice system.
“It is recognised that poor health - particularly mental health - can, when compounded with poor education and a disrupted family life, increase the likelihood that a young person will commit an offence.
“I am glad that this strategy builds upon the work that followed the Government's Youth Crime Acton Plan [opens in new window] and the Healthy Lives, Brighter Futures [opens in new window] plan, and also responds to the three crucial recommendations specific to the youth justice system made within Lord Bradley's review of people with mental health problems and learning disabilities in the criminal justice system [opens in new window].
“It is clear that the strategy proposes a great deal of work to assess the feasibility of many of the proposals, and I await these developments with anticipation.”
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Notes to editors
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The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB) oversees the youth justice system in England and Wales. We work to prevent offending and reoffending by children and young people under the age of 18, and to ensure that custody for them is safe, secure, and addresses the causes of their offending behaviour.
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Specifically, we advise the Secretaries of State for Justice and for Children, Schools and Families on the operation of, and standards for, the youth justice system; monitor the performance of the youth justice system; purchase places for, and place, children and young people remanded or sentenced to custody; identify and promote effective practice; make grants to local authorities or other bodies to support the development of effective practice; commission research and publish information.
