Agenda Item No .....
Renfrewshire Council
To: Community & Family Care Policy Board.
On: 16 August 2011
Report
by
Director of Social Work
Whole Systems Approach
1. Summary
1.1. Addressing offending by young people has been an issue which the local authority and
the Scottish Government have given substantial attention to over recent years. Within
Renfrewshire the development of innovative solutions such as the restorative justice
service delivered via RaMPS and the introduction of early intervention screening have
contributed to a reduction in the number of young people involved in offending and
referred to the Children’s Reporter.
1.2. 477 young people were referred to the Children’s Reporter in 2004/05 because they
had been involved in committing an offence. Over the past six years there has been a
consistent reduction in the number of young people referred to the Children’s Reporter
as a consequence of their offending behaviour. In the last financial year 233 young
people were referred. The service from RaMPS and the input from the early
intervention screening group means that young people receive speedy services aimed
at reducing the rate of or stopping further offending.
1.3. The Scottish Government is keen to divert young people under 18 from prosecution
where it is safe and appropriate to do so. The development of a Whole Systems
Approach is being taken forward through the Government’s Reducing Reoffending
Programme. The programme aims to improve the responses from services for children
and young people meaning that only those who require compulsory supervision in the
Children’s Hearing System or prosecution in the adult system are taken through these
processes. In all other cases the young person will be diverted to more appropriate
interventions to improve their behaviour and reduce the likelihood of further offending.
1.4. This report outlines the work being taken forward in partnership with Strathclyde Police
to introduce a Whole Systems Approach. The main areas of work include building on
the success of the early intervention screening group, introduction of a focussed and
intelligence led approach to serious and persistent young offenders, develop
alternatives to prosecution, improve the risk assessment and risk management
processes targeting those at highest risk, ensuring the deployment of resources in the
most effective way and increasing the use of restorative justice and community
disposals. As the Whole System Approach is embedded in it will be extended to cover
response for children and young people exposed to domestic violence.
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2. Recommendations
The Community and Family Care Policy Board is asked to:
[a] note the work on developing a Whole Systems Approach in Renfrewshire.
3. Background
3.1. Dealing effectively with the offending behaviour of young people aged under 18 is a
priority for the local authority and the Scottish Government. Research has shown that
the provision of appropriate and proportionate responses to young people’s
involvement in offending has the best impact on reducing the risk of further offending.
3.2. Evidence has shown that when a young person is charged and prosecuted this can
have a negative impact and increase the likelihood of further offending. The
development of appropriate responses to young people can therefore reduce the
likelihood of further offending.
3.3. Renfrewshire has a good record on addressing the offending behaviour of young
people under the age of 16 through the provision of restorative justice interventions and
through the provision of appropriate support and intervention through the early
intervention screening process. The Renfrewshire approach has been recognised as
best practice and the Scottish Government is keen to build on the successful
approaches locally by extending the work to young people who offend and are aged
under 18.
3.4. Strathclyde Police has proposed the introduction of a Whole Systems Approach for
young people aged under 18 and involved in offending in Renfrewshire. Negotiations
have commenced around the development of this approach. The Whole Systems
Approach will ensure that where it is safe and appropriate young people aged under 18
and involved in offending will be diverted from prosecution. This will be achieved
through the development of a number of interventions meaning that the statutory
measures of intervention are only used where these are absolutely necessary to protect
the public.
3.5. The work on developing a Whole Systems Approach is at an early stage in
Renfrewshire however with some minor changes to present processes there are
opportunities to improve outcomes for young people and ensure the protection of the
public in the immediate future whilst other developments will take slightly longer.
3.6. Locally there will be changes to the operation of the early intervention screening group
to extend the reach and disposals available to divert young people through the use of
police warnings, restorative justice approaches and other interventions as required.
The new approach will be known as Early and Effective Interventions and will involve
close working and enhanced information sharing between all services in Renfrewshire
including education, social work, leisure services, the voluntary sector and Strathclyde
Police ensuring that young people who are involved in offending are provided with the
right intervention at the right time.
3.7. Work is being taken forward to review the gaps in service provision with bids to the
Scottish Government on the design of services and interventions being pursued which
will allow the Whole Systems approach to be implemented in Renfrewshire. The
opportunity to extend the approach to deal with early and minor offending by young
people aged 16 to 18 is being explored with the Procurator Fiscal Service. This work is
being progressed in partnership with Inverclyde, North and South Ayrshire, the Fiscal
Service, the Children’s Reporter and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
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3.8. As the Whole Systems Approach is embedded in Renfrewshire interventions which are
based on evidence as being effective in reducing young people’s offending behaviour
will be introduced. The emphasis will be on early intervention and diversion from costly
and unproven alternatives. Prosecution, statutory supervision, secure care and custody
will only be used in cases where the protection of the public requires this.
3.9. The outcomes from Whole Systems will be:
reduction in reoffending rates of young people under 16;
speedy services provided to meet the needs of young people who offend;
increased public safety;
fewer young people aged under 18 prosecuted in the adult system;
increased use of effective interventions including diversion and restorative justice
approaches; and
young people have positive destinations in education, employment and training.
3.10. It is anticipated that the implementation of the Whole Systems Approach will:
result in faster delivery of services for young people involved in offending;
more effective deployment of resources in education, social work, the Police and
wider community;
reduce the number of children referred to the Children’s Reporter resulting in
fewer social work reports releasing resource to intervene with young people;
reduce the use of secure care and custody;
release time in Police, social work and Procurator Fiscal services through
reduction in administrative processes; and
allow the deployment of released resources into addressing the behaviour of
high risk offenders.
4. Implications of this report
4.1. Financial Implications
[a] Strathclyde Police and the Scottish Government have indicated that they will cover
the initial costs in relation to the development of Whole Systems Approach.
4.2. Personnel Implications
[a] None.
4.3. Community Plan Implications
Wealthier and - Improving outcomes for vulnerable children and young people in
fairer our communities.
Smarter - Improving education available for children and young people
looked after and looked after and accommodated.
Healthier - Provides for health improvement for the users of social work and
social care services.
Safer and - Early intervention with young people who offend will reduce rates
stronger of reoffending and improve community safety.
Greener - None.
Developing our - None.
organisation
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4.4. Legal Implications
[a] None
4.5. Property Implications
[a] None.
4.6. Information Technology Implications
[a] None.
4.7. Equal Opportunities Implications
[a] None.
4.8. Health and Safety Implications
[a] None.
4.9. Procurement Implications.
[a] None.
4.10. Risk implications
[a] None
4.11. CoSLA Policy Position
[a] Not appropriate.
For further information in relation to this report please contact Peter MacLeod, Director of
Social Work on 0141 842 5167
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