Who We Are & What We Do

The YJS consists of staff from the City Council, Police, Probation and Health, and is overseen by a partnership board chaired by the Corporate Director for Children and Adults. The YJS is located within the City Council’s Early Help Directorate, as part of the Children’s Services department.

The YJS works with children and young people referred by the Court or Police on a statutory basis, and those that have been referred to work with early intervention services on a voluntary basis.

The purpose of the YJS is to prevent offending and reduce re-offending by children.

YJS's key activities involve:

• Assessing the likelihood of re-offending, the risk of causing harm, and the level of safety and wellbeing concerns posed by children
• Planning and managing interventions to reduce these risks and needs
• Strengthening protective factors against further offending
• Ensuring that children completing YJS interventions have access to the full range of services to help their life chances
• Ensuring that interventions with children take account of and understand the victims and communities affected by their offending

Via Targeted Youth Support and Exploitation and Violence Reduction (EVR) Hub interventions:

• Identifying children at risk of becoming involved in exploitation and violent offending, and ensuring that evidence-based interventions are provided either directly or by commissioning services to address needs
• Share resources, skills and knowledge to build capacity to deal with children earlier and more effectively within universal services

Nottingham City YJS offers bespoke targeted prevention work for children aged 10-17. The aim of these interventions is to steer children away from crime and anti-social behaviour, helping them make the most of their lives. Workers will offer support, on a voluntary basis, to children that is individual to them, and what they think they need, and will work closely with other agencies such as schools, children’s social care, health and police to make sure that all agencies are working together to support children in their community and focused on removing barriers to change and to promote desistance.

The YJS Prevention and Early Intervention service deliver interventions in school and community settings, support targeted youth outreach groups, and provide assessment, tailored intervention and/or consultation for children, including effective exit strategies for continued support within universal provision.

Notification pathways include children being supported by the Appropriate Adult scheme in Police custody, and daily YJS Police notifications of arrests. Referral to YJS prevention services should be considered as part of a non-immediate response to incidents/behaviours of concern by Police, education, social care and other partners, and by children and families, and are primarily focused on offering early intervention for children not open to statutory services.

To make, or discuss, a referral please email EVRHub@nottinghamcity.gov.uk or Telephone 0115 9159400.