This is achieved through the delivery of child-friendly, integrated services which ensure young people are safeguarded and enabled to reintegrate into their local communities without offending, wherever possible with support from their families.
Derbyshire YJS consists of practitioners with backgrounds in health, probation, youth justice, youth work, restorative justice, social work, education, housing, substance misuse and policing. The YJS also trains and works with volunteers. There are 3 multi-agency Youth Justice Teams in Derbyshire that cover:
- Erewash, South Derbyshire, and South Dales
- Chesterfield, High Peak and North Dales
- Amber Valley, North East Derbyshire and Bolsover
There are 2 offices:
46-47 Bloomsgrove Road
Ilkeston
Derbyshire
DE7 8DQ
Tel: 01629 531975
1st Floor - The Quad
Dock Walk
Chesterfield
Derbyshire
S40 2GQ
Tel: 01629 537616 or 01629 537657
Volunteers
We are always looking for volunteers and mentors who can support our work with young people. Please contact us if you wish to explore volunteering opportunities.
The YJS sits within the local authority, but works closely with statutory partners (police, health, probation), the third sector, and partners from the secure estate (secure children's homes, secure training centres and young offender institutions). The service is overseen by the YJS Partnership Board, chaired by the service director of children's services.
A child first approach informs the service and partnership. This is underpinned by 4 key tenets:
- see children as children (historically the criminal justice system does not)
- develop pro-social identities for positive outcomes
- true collaboration with children
- promote diversion from the criminal justice system
Support offered by the Youth Justice Service
Derbyshire YJS has developed a wide range of interventions and programmes to help young people move away from offending. Some concentrate on young people with offence types, for example knife crime, while others promote learning about managing strong emotions.
Young people can access support with substance use, education, mental and physical health, and communication difficulties through seconded specialist workers.
We have an enhanced offer (and commitment to diversion) for children looked after within the youth justice system recognising our shared corporate parenting responsibility.
YJS workers are often part of a wider 'team around the child / family', delivering aspects of a broader safeguarding or family support plan.
Approach of the Youth Justice Service
Derbyshire YJS works with young people who have formal involvement in the youth justice system and those receiving out of court disposals from the police. This means the service works with young people on both a voluntary and a statutory basis, from the point they come to police attention through to youth custody and release.
The service is committed to diverting children from the receiving court orders, recognising that appropriate diversion to other services or being offered pre-court formal support is the best way to keep children and victims safe. The YJS work is informed by 7 partnership strategies focusing on:
- participation and co-production
- restorative practice
- education, training and employment
- children in care
- child and public safety
- health
- early intervention
YJS practitioners assess young people to look at the severity of their offending, the underlying causes of offending, and the risks and positive factors in their lifestyle and circumstances.
This personalised, child first approach means practitioners tailor their work with young people, engage them in targeted positive activities, manage risks and promote pro-social choices.
Alongside a commitment to child first youth justice, Derbyshire YJS aims to embed trauma informed practice at the heart of every interaction, approach and strategy.
You can view the Derbyshire Youth Justice plan as part of our children's services procedures.