Youth Justice Service

What is a Youth Justice Service?

The Youth Justice Service (YJS) are a multi-agency team that is coordinated by a local authority and overseen by the Youth Justice Board. They were set up following the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act with the intention of reducing the risk of children offending and re-offending. They support children between the ages of 10 and 17.

Youth Justice Services are part of your local council and are separate from the police and the courts. They work alongside the police, probation service, health, housing and children’s services, schools and education authorities and charities and the local community.

The Youth Justice Team can get involved if a child:

gets into trouble with the police or is arrested
is charged with a crime and has to go to court
is convicted of a crime and given a sentence.

Can I read the latest East Riding Youth Justice Service Plan?

Yes. The East Riding Youth Justice Service (YJS) Plan is available to download as a PDF below:

East Riding Youth Justice Service Plan 2025-26 (pdf 4mb)

File uploaded on 11 December 2025.

What are the types of orders that a youth can receive and what help can be given to first time entrants?

There are two routes into the Youth Justice Service, and these are through the police, and through the courts.

Informal outcomes

The police can independently issue:

No further action: If a child is arrested and the police do not pursue the case, this is known as taking ‘no further action’. This could happen if the police do not have enough evidence
Youth Caution: A Youth Caution may be given for any offence when the child admits the offence and there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction, but it is not in the public interest to prosecute. No intervention will take place, but the offence is recorded.

The diversion process:

The Youth Justice Service Diversion panel is a multi-agency meeting which is held to ensure children who have committed an offence are supported by the most appropriate agency going forward. The main aim is to assess what support is needed for a child and which agency is best to support the child going forward. This will ensure children are not open to the Youth Justice Service unless necessary.

The out-of-court disposal process:

The Youth Justice Service and the Police can also work jointly to complete an assessment and hold an out of court panel to help decide the most appropriate out-of-court disposal for a child, where the following disposals can be delivered:

Community Resolution: This is the resolution of a very minor offence or antisocial behaviour incident through an informal agreement, this could include a very short period of voluntary intervention
Youth Conditional Caution: The Youth Conditional Caution is a formal out-of-court disposal, with compulsory intervention attached to it. A Youth Conditional Caution may be offered when a child admits an offence, there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and when the public interest can best be served by the child complying with suitable conditions, rather than a prosecution. The Youth Justice Service must assess the child and advise on appropriate conditions. The child must also agree to accept the Youth Conditional Caution and the conditions attached. Failure to comply with the conditions can result in prosecution to court for the original offence. This intervention should be delivered for up to 16 weeks.

Statutory court orders

In circumstances whereby a child has been summonsed to court for an offence, they could be sentenced to the following court orders:

Referral Orders:

A referral order is a community sentence is most commonly used by the Youth Courts when sentencing a child (particularly children that have committed an offence for the first time) that have plead guilty to an offence. A Referral Order can last between 3-12 months. The child will be required to attend a Referral Order panel whereby a contract is agreed which will outline the intervention and support that will be completed during their time with the Youth Justice Service. The Referral Order will be reviewed at 3-monthly panels and the order will start following the initial panel being held.

Youth Rehabilitation Orders:

A youth rehabilitation order (YRO) is a community sentence used for children who have previously offended or who have not pleaded guilty to the offence. The YRO takes effect on the day that it is ordered and can run for up to three years, until the end of the longest requirement.

Detention Training Orders:

A Detention and Training Order (DTO) is a custodial sentence given by a Youth Magistrate or Crown Court for people aged 12-17 years. A DTO is used when children commit a serious offence or a number of offences. It is classed as a conviction and recorded on the Police National Computer.

Absolute or conditional discharges

Fines may be imposed by the court and for children under 16, paying the fine is the responsibility of a parent/guardian.

Reparation and repairing the harm:

Reparation is the act of repairing harm and if there is a victim of a crime committed, children open to the Youth Justice Service will have a reparation requirement as part of their order. This may include writing a letter of apology to the victim or engaging in community projects to give back to the community in which the harm was caused.

How does the Youth Justice Service support children and prevent re-offending in the East Riding?

The East Riding Youth Justice Team is a multi-agency service, consisting of staff from Humberside Police, the National Probation Service, Speech and language services, Substance misuse services, and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). The team consists of both Out of Court and Court practitioners who deliver the direct work to children across the local area.

Youth Justice Teams form part of the Youth Justice System in England and Wales, which also comprises of the Police, Youth Courts, and the institutions where children are held in custody. The Youth Justice System has an aim to prevent children from offending and provide the best outcomes for children.

Children who have committed an offence are systematically assessed and supported to change their behaviour through a child first approach focusing on needs, potential and interventions and encouraged to compensate the victims. East Riding Youth Justice Service works closely with services within the council, and local charities to deliver interventions to children. The service also works closely with partners to set up community projects in each locality where children can engage in reparation as a way of giving back to the community and/or direct victim(s).

How are the victims of crime’s voices heard and included throughout Youth Justice processes? What support can be offered?

Every victim that consents will be contacted by the Restorative Justice Officer from the Youth Justice Service (YJS).

This will first be by telephone contact or at the victims request, a home visit. The Restorative Justice Officer will obtain the victims views about the offence and the harm done. These views will then be delivered in Diversion and Out of Court Resolution panels to inform all professionals.

They also ask how the harm can be put right, and if possible deliver this through letters of apology, face-to-face meetings, or arranging direct or indirect reparation work which is supervised by the YJS case manager. Throughout the order the Restorative Justice Officer is available for help and advice and when requested by the victim will update on any changes. If specialist support or advice is needed the victims are informed of help they can access, such as victim support.

How can I help the Youth Justice Service in their work?

Referral Order panel

If sentenced to a referral order a child will be referred to a Referral Order panel, which involves volunteer members of the community, carers, parents, victims and the child agreeing a plan of action in the form of a 'contract' to repair the harm done to the victim and to prevent any future offending. They ensure children who have committed an offence take responsibility for their behaviour by giving victims a chance to say how committing the offence has affected them.

How to join

We need panel members who can represent their local community, that means anyone 18 or over, from every ethnic and social background who are good at listening and talking can apply.

To apply to become a panel member, contact Youth Justice Service on (01482) 396623 or email: youth.offending.team@eastriding.gov.uk.

Training

We don’t expect people to have all the skills necessary to be a panel member from the start. We will provide both initial and regular training once you become a panel member.

Expectations

To be able to dedicate time for training opportunities and a maximum of 2 hours every 2 months to the panel.
To partake in a pre-meeting with the YJS Practitioner to discuss recommendations within the panel report and gain an understanding.
To obtain an understanding of the offence and any barriers or triggers that may occur during the meeting causing non engagement.
To work collaboratively with a fellow panel member, to chair and manage the panel meeting.
To ensure that both child and parent/carer/guardian are fully aware of what their order means, what is expected of them and what may happen if they fail to comply.
To be inquisitive in finding a child’s strengths and linking these directly to successful completion of their order.
To ensure that the child feels part of their order throughout the meeting by referring back to their verbatim report and also giving rationale and understanding to the conditions of their contract.
To agree and sign to a contract of work for the child, holding both the YJS and child accountable if the work is not completed without reasonable excuse.
To work professionally and restoratively at all times, ensuring both child and victim’s needs are accounted for.

Data protection and complaints procedure

Data protection

The Youth Justice Service keeps information about you for as long as necessary in performing its statutory duties, in paper and electronic form. Under the Data Protection Act you have the right to a copy of the information held about you, subject to certain restrictions. If you wish to access this information, please contact the Youth Justice Service. Details can be found in useful contact numbers.

Complaints procedure

If you consider that you have been treated unfairly during your contact with the Youth Justice Service, you have the right to complain. You should first discuss the matter with the worker concerned or their manager. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, then you can contact the Youth Justice Team manager on (01482) 396623.

Useful contacts