Education and communication

Education, Training and Employment (ETE) are key positive factors that support desistance. ETE provides access to a range of opportunities for children to help their progress and development. It is essential that youth justice partners work together with all educational establishments.

There is evidence to show that Speech Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) has an impact on the ability of children to effectively communicate their views and feelings. Children with SLCN can give a negative perception of themselves to the agencies that are responsible for their support, sentences and interventions. It is therefore essential for those agencies working with children to have a clear awareness and process to understand and support children’s communication needs.

Children with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) may face difficulties engaging or progressing in school which make it difficult for them to progress academically. Although the research around school exclusion and offending is not well evidenced, there is an emerging body of evidence that suggests that children that are out of education are at increased risk of becoming involved in the criminal justice system.

This section provides information on support, resources and policies relating to education, including Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN).

Summary: Lancashire Child and Youth Justice Service have created a user-friendly Comprehensive Health Assesment Tool (CHAT) that allows for exploration of a child's health needs.     Description: There is increasing recognition of the crucial role of health within a young person's life, and the impact good health and well-being has on the life course outcomes of vulnerable young people…
Summary:  The Youth Justice Board Wales have collaborated with Youth offending services in Wales to deliver a project based on education and learning for children in the justice system.     Description: The Support into Education and Learning evaluation describes a project that was set up to assist young people in the youth justice system to get into or remain…
Summary: Link to Disability Matters, which is a free online learning programme offering a range of modules for professionals in the youth justice system who come into contact with disabled children and young people Description: Working closely with the Sunderland youth offending team the consortium developed a specially tailored free e-learning package called Disability Matters for Youth Criminal Justice. The…
Summary: Link to a free site that offers mock test for children that are preparing to undergo CSCS card examination.     Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards provide proof that individuals working on construction sites have the appropriate training and qualifications for the job they do on site. Builders Test website offer free mock tests, which aims to support…
Summary: Attached is the link to Transforming Justice’s guide ‘Reframing Crime and Justice: A Guide to Improving Communications’ to better understand and support communication.   Transform Justice have published reframing crime and justice: a guide to improving communications (this link will take the user to the Transform Justice website, where you can access the guide). The guide is intended to…
Summary: This programme aims to reduce the likelihood of reoffending and offer children improved resettlement outcomes. Age:  10-17 Sex:  n/a Cost:  yes   Aims: Reduced likelihood of reoffending and improved resettlement outcomes Improved engagement with interventions and better behaviour while serving sentence Description: At Barton Moss, there are processes in place to ensure that every child is screened for Speech,…
Summary: This review provides a better understanding of how speech language and communication needs are identified by YOTs. Age: 10-17 Sex: n/a Cost: n/a     Aims:   To provide a better understanding of how speech language and communication needs (SLCN), are identified by YOTs and what services they provide, in-house or through mainstream provision.     Description:   A…
Age: 13- 19 Sex: n/a Cost: none     Aim: Support viewers to consider some of the links between education and offending     Description:Under the Radar is a short film (approximately 5 minutes) of three young men speaking about their experiences of education from Year 9 onwards and involvement with Oxfordshire Youth Offending Service (YOS). The aim of the…
Positive Practice Positive Outcomes is a handbook for professionals in the Criminal Justice System working with offenders with learning disabilities. It covers essential information to help staff identify and understand this group of people and also covers relevant legislation.  The handbook, provides information, practical and communication advice, sign-posting and best practice examples.  
Summary: Joint Guidance by YJB and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists .     Speech, Language and Communication Needs in the Youth Justice System is a joint guidance by the YJB and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. The guidance supports practitioners and managers around how to work with children with speech, language and communication…