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YOUTH CRIME ACTION PLAN 2008
during the sentence, for immediate resettlement and their longer term success. This could be similar to the care plan for looked after children, with the child’s views contributing to shaping provision. This would also include a Personal Education Plan which sets out a young person’s short and long term learning and employment goals. It will also help foster improved information sharing and planning. This will mean that young people receive consistent education and training based on their personal needs and aspirations, resulting in better outcomes; and
s providing more intensive support
immediately following release from custody and at other key points of their lives (such as leaving school), through the use of mentoring.
5.12 We welcome views on the key elements of this package, how this could best be delivered and how long any support should last for. Subject to views from this consultation, and future decisions on resourcing, it is the Government’s ambition to underpin such a package through legislation. 5.13 Alongside this, we will explore ways to expand existing resettlement provision for young people leaving custody. The evaluation of the current Resettlement and Aftercare Provision is due in the summer and, responding to specific lessons from the evaluation, we will extend the programme to provide more intensive, specialist support for the immediate period following custody. We have made available £6 million to ensure the expansion of the programme and welcome views on how this programme
might fit with a longer-term package of support set out above. 5.14 Exploring with employers how to improve the employability of young people with criminal records. While employers must have the confidence in the qualities of people they employ, we intend to work with employer organisations on the approaches they take to employing young people with a criminal record in order to further improve longer-term resettlement. 5.15 Ensure suitable accommodation for all young offenders leaving custody. Local authorities already have responsibility to ensure accommodation for children in need under sections 17 and 20 Children’s Act 1989. The recent good practice guidance6 sets out how Children’s Services and housing services should work together to ensure suitable accommodation is in place for all 16 and 17 year olds. We will build on this by:
s ensuring that all assessments of
children in custody consider the family need and the support required to enable the child to return to their family on release;
s consulting on the best way to promote housing authority representation on the Youth Offending Team (YOT) management board and provide clear guidance on their role to improve young offenders’ access to accommodation; and
s preventing youth homelessness by
improving support for children living with their families and the assessment, support and accommodation offer for 16 and 17 year olds who cannot live at home.
6 “Joint working between Housing and Children’s Services: Preventing homelessness and tackling its effects on children and young people.” http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/goodpracticeguide