Criminal Justice: Youth Justice Pilot site: Wolverhampton

Criminal Justice:
Criminal justice and mental health: issue overview
Policy watch: Criminal Justice

Youth Justice Liaison and Diversion:
Wolverhampton

Operational since October 2009 the scheme has employed (all part-time through CAMHS) a three-person team made up of a clinical psychologist, a mental health practitioner and an assistant psychologist. The scheme sits between CAMHS and the YOS and is coordinated by the Deputy ISSP Manager at Birmingham YOS, who line manages the health workers. At a more strategic level, the director of CAMHS and the Head of the YOS are also involved in the management of the project, taking on the role of negotiator with relevant stakeholders (e.g. the police), and shaping a model of sustainability.

Referrals

Referrals to the YJLD practitioners were originally being made by police distributing letters that explained the YJLD scheme to young people in custody. Workers found that not many young people engaged, so Wolverhampton revised the model.

Currently most referrals come from the YOT police liaison officer through PENY (Police Electronic Notification to YOTs). From here, the YOT admin staff screen all young people arrested to identify if they are already known to other services by cross-checking the names from PENY against those on the YOT and the CAMHS recording systems. Where young people are already known, the details of the case worker are also provided to the YJLD team for liaison purposes. The YOT admin worker then sends letters to all the young people on the referral list informing them about the project.

Interventions

The YJLD workers then liaise with services where young people are already known, and pass information on the case worker. For those that are unknown, the team telephone the young person and their family to assess their needs and offer screening if appropriate. Counselling is often provided during these telephone calls.

If the young person agrees an appointment for an interview is made, usually with the family. The SQIFA is used to assess mental health and this informs the action plan which is then agreed with the young person and their family. If there are no mental health needs, but other issues are raised, then the YJLD team would aim to identify and liaise with most appropriate outreach services that could support the young person on their care pathway.

If a young person is pending a court date after a mental health screening has taken place, the YJLD provides information to courts. If mental health needs are identified, depending on the complexity of these needs, the YJLD worker would either offer short term therapy work with the young person (up to 6 appointments, 12 weeks) or would refer them to specialist services for more serious concerns.

Achievements in Wolverhampton

They promote the YJLD scheme within the police custody suite by introducing posters within custody and by the police distributing letters to young people.