Brent Council has formally adopted the Youth Justice Plan 2025-28, a three-year strategy outlining the funding and delivery of youth justice services in the borough. The total partnership budget is expected to be £1.7 million, including a £579k grant from the Youth Justice Board, with contributions from the Police, and the Health Service.
The plan, approved at a Council meeting on Monday, aims to support young people at risk of entering the youth justice system and aligns with the council's Borough Plan 2023-27, focusing on thriving communities, the best start in life, and a healthier Brent.
According to the council report, the plan was informed by feedback from young people, with 94% of respondents stating that their case manager understood their life experiences. The Youth Justice Service (YJS) is committed to tackling inequalities, including work that focuses on disproportionality. The service's work is closely aligned to the Brent Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy 2024/28. The YJS will also Refresh, implement, and monitor the Brent YJS Disproportionality Action Plan to tackle the over representation of children from Black Heritage Groups in the Brent Youth Justice System.
The Brent Youth Justice Plan 2025-28 is closely aligned to three priorities within the Borough Plan 2023-27:
- Thriving Communities: The Brent YJS is collaborating with community partners to enhance safety, including delivering sessions and workshops in schools with the Targeted Prevention Hub, Willesden Magistrates Court, the Police, and the local voluntary sector. Groupwork sessions introduce young people to inspirational members from local and wider London communities.
- The Best Start in Life: The plan emphasizes a trauma-informed approach, ensuring young people within the Brent youth justice system are heard. Children communicate with members of the YJS Management Board via multimedia platforms. Joint work with the Brent Community Safety Team explores options for broadening Brent's mentoring offer to young people affected by gangs and criminal exploitation.
- Healthier Brent: Recognizing that young people in the criminal justice system often have poor access to mental health provision, an NHS-funded Youth Liaison and Diversion Officer offers mental health screening to children who attend police custody. A co-located CAMHS Mental Health Practitioner offers support and refers those with more complex needs for specialist CAMHS support.
The plan also aligns with the Brent Youth Strategy and the Brent Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy 2024 – 2028.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) will be used to measure the plan's success. These include:
- Reducing re-offending rates
- Reducing first-time entrants to the youth justice system
- Reducing the use of custody
- Improving access to suitable accommodation
- Improving educational outcomes
- Addressing mental health and substance misuse issues
- Increasing victim support
The YJS Management Board, with representatives from various agencies, will monitor the plan's delivery. The commitments and activities of the Youth Justice Plan are funded from the Partnership Budget that includes cash and in-kind contributions from a number of partners including the Police and the Health Service.
The council report noted that the plan was also informed by feedback from young people through surveys and individual engagement, with the following highlighted as specific areas:
- 94% believe their case manager understands what has happened in their life.
- 96% said they had their court order explained to them by the YJS officer.
- 97% were offered an opportunity to engage in positive activities whilst in contact with the YJS. The YJS also supports young people to access positive recreational activities at Family Wellbeing Centres.
- 100% felt listened to by their case manager.
- 99% felt satisfied with the work that the case manager had completed with them.
- 100% said that their case manager has encouraged them to think about their future.
The council hopes that the Youth Justice Plan 2025-2028 will provide the Brent Youth justice partnership with the clarity needed to work together to achieve good outcomes for children, and provide a framework to provide strategic oversight, guidance and the support needed to improve the lives of children and young people who enter the criminal justice system.
