Youth Justice Team
We're the Youth Justice Team - part of Stockton-On-Tees Borough Council's Early Help, Youth Justice and Youth Support service. We work with children aged 10 to 17 and their families and carers.
The aim of the youth justice system is to prevent offending committed by children. The Youth Justice Team plays a key role in making our communities safe.
The Stockton-on-Tees Youth Justice Team consists of Youth Justice Officers, Restorative Justice Worker and Social Worker, with seconded staff from Police, Probation, Careers Service, Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), Speech and Language Therapy and Change Grow Live (substance misuse service). They also work closely with partners across Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council to ensure children and families receive the right support at the right time. The team work to child first principles where they see children as children, treat them fairly and help them build on their strengths to make a constructive contribution to society.
The team is responsible for the supervision and support of children who receive Out-Of-Court Disposals, statutory court orders, custodial remands and sentences. We also offer voluntary support through our Turnaround Programme for children who have not been charged with any offence but have been arrested by the Police. The team also provide an Appropriate Adult Service.
We deliver a range of services which are designed to:
- help children to stay out of the criminal justice system
- reduce reoffending
- keep children and communities safe
Restorative Justice
Restorative Justice puts the victim at the heart of the youth justice system. It plays an important role in reducing reoffending, helping victims and increasing public confidence in the youth justice system by:
- repairing the harm caused by children
- giving victims a voice
Once a child has been sentenced at court, a specially trained Restorative Practice Adviser will contact the victim to explain the sentence and explore what support can be offered that may go some way towards repairing the harm that has been done.
Victims are offered a range of opportunities to take part in the restorative justice process.
We welcome suggestions for reparation and unpaid work tasks from members of the community that meet the following minimum criteria:
- it will benefit the local community
- it will not take work away from others
- no one will make a profit from the work
- it will be worthwhile and constructive
Contact the Youth Justice Team with your ideas and suggestions on 01642 527597 or youthjusticeadmin@stockton.gov.uk.
Get involved
The Youth Justice Team actively seeks volunteers from the community to help us in our work and participate in our Community Panels with children and young people.
We will provide you with training to be a Community Panel Member and ask you to commit to the project for at least a year. The time spent sitting on panels will vary dependent upon your existing commitments.
Referral Orders are in place for children convicted of their first offence. Members of the community meet with them, their parents or carers, and sometimes the victim to draw up a plan to help them to stop getting involved in crime and make amends.
This is a great opportunity for all those who wish to help reduce crime in their area and or those seeking voluntary work with children.
If you are interested (and either live in Stockton-on-Tees or have extensive knowledge of the area), please contact 01642 527597 or youthjusticeadmin@stockton.gov.uk.
