Youth Justice Service

Information about Compass as a preventative service and Youth Offending service.

Click on one of the titles below to expand the information 

What is Compass?

Compass is our preventative service that works with young people aged 8 – 17 years of age who may be at risk of becoming involved in offending behaviour. We work with young people and their families / carers on a voluntary basis. 

This service is accessed through referrals from those that work with young people and self-referrals from families. Alongside the family we will complete a B&NES Early Help assessment to identify what needs there might be and create a plan together on how to support those needs*.  The plan will be supported through 'Team Around the Child' or 'Team Around the Family' meetings.  The Compass key-worker will be able to access advice and information from members of the YJS specialist staff.   

The outcomes we strive for are:

  • to support participation in education, training & employment;
  • to support improvement in child and parent relationship;
  • to support improvement in young persons social and emotional well-being.  

Our support will be tailored to the level of needs and can range from time-limited involvement of 3-months to 12-months plus.

*At times we will also support young people as part of an existing support assessment / plan, such as families who are supported by Children’s Social Care or targeted services.

Email: youth_justiceservice@bathnes.gov.uk or compass@bathnes.gov.uk

What is the Youth Justice Service?

Bath and North East Somerset Youth Justice Service (YJS) is a multi-agency service, comprising staff from Education, Social Care, Health, Probation and the Police. We work closely with partner agencies including, Local Authority Social Care, SEND and Children Missing Education services, Police, schools, colleges and other providers, Project 28 (Young Peoples’ Alcohol & Substance Misuse Service).

The aim of the Youth Justice Service is to prevent offending and helping young people who have offended to get the help and support they need to become valued and productive members of society and to repair harm they might have caused.

When a young person begins to work with the YJS, a full assessment is conducted. This includes an educational report highlighting any SEN needs they may have. We also access information from the Education, Health and Care Plan if a young person has one, and will work closely with the SEND Lead Practitioner. This is to ensure that interventions can be delivered appropriately and meet individual need.  All young people are screened for Speech, Language and Communication (SLC) needs and our Speech and Language Therapist can support access to assessment; tailor their support plan to match their SLC needs.  All young people receive a general health assessment from our YJS Nurse.

Who can access the Youth Justice Service?

Youth Justice Service (YJS) is not an open access service, they work with young people aged 10 – 17 years of age and some 18 year olds, dependent upon Order, vulnerabilities, level of need, who have received either an Out of Court Disposal from the Police (e.g. Police Caution) or being convicted in a Court and receiving Court Order. 

They also work with the young person's parents/carers.

Email: youth_justiceservice@bathnes.gov.uk

Parents:

  • Support and advocacy for EHC plan assessment requests, EHC plan reviews and transition while working with YJS.
  • Other support for parents/carers in securing appropriate education or training placements for their children.

Young people:

  • Apart from the services/programmes delivered internally by YJS Case-Managers, specialist workers and support staff, YJS can also refer young people onto specialist services such as Project 28 and CAHMS. 
  • Where there are issues with engagement or progress in education, including where special educational needs do not appear to being met, YJS will convene and chair ‘Team around the Child’ meeting to review progress and agree actions required or contribute to other existing forums such Statutory Social Care meetings.
  • YJS offers support with accessing, and in some cases, setting up ‘positive activities’.
  • Support for young people in accessing facilities to integrate them into their communities such as Youth Clubs, sports clubs, specialist support groups.

Victims:

  • The YJS contacts named victims of offences when the young people who have offended are being assessed, to update them on what is happening and offer them an opportunity to be involved in the work undertaken. This could be indirectly through provision of information and views or directly through mediated dialogue or a face-to-face meeting with the young person concerned

Where is the Youth Justice Service based?

The Youth Justice Service and Compass are both based at Keynsham Civic Centre, Market Walk, Keynsham, BS31 1FS.

The hours of service are: 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 4.30pm on Friday’s.

How can I access the Youth Justice Service?

YJS cannot take individual referrals.

There are two access routes into our service:

  • Out of Court Disposals, which are a pre-court disposal which came into force in April 2013 under The Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act e.g. Police Caution. 
  • The other primary route is via the Courts when young people are made subject to Bail packages or sentenced to a Court Order, such as a Referral Order, Youth Rehabilitation Order or Custodial Sentence.

How can I access the Youth Justice Service?

YJS cannot take individual referrals.

There are two access routes into our service:

  • Out of Court Disposals, which are a pre-court disposal which came into force in April 2013 under The Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act e.g. Police Caution. 
  • The other primary route is via the Courts when young people are made subject to Bail packages or sentenced to a Court Order, such as a Referral Order, Youth Rehabilitation Order or Custodial Sentence.

Contact the Youth Justice Service

BATHNES Youth Justice Service
01225 396 966

Email: youth_justiceservice@bathnes.gov.uk

Kat Brooklyn – Operations Manager
Rachael Cove – Deputy Manager