Agenda item

Matthew Cole, Director of Public Health, presented the report which had been provided to enable partners to jointly consider how to deal with the health issues of young offenders.  Young offenders’ health issues were often complex, and included risky sexual and health behaviours, language, communication difficulties, learning difficulties, autistic spectrum disorders and mental health issues.

The Chair drew the Board’s attentions to paragraph 2.9 of the report and details of the family situations, living circumstances and homelessness of many young offenders.  The Chair was concerned about wording in reports and said that care needed to be taken to ensure that it was not inflammatory.  Councillor Turner pointed out that the accepted phraseology now was ‘learning difficulties’ not ‘learning disabilities’.

Councillor Turner advised that a report had been published three years before about the neurological disorders in young offenders and how offending may in some instances not be a learned behaviour.  It was noted, however, that early intervention, especially with troubled families, can significantly reduce offending behaviour.

As part of the discussion it was suggested that at the next refresh of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy that Young Offenders should be considered for inclusion as a vulnerable groups.

Chief Superintendent, Sean Wilson, Deputy Borough Commander, advised that young people were given a lot of attention when in custody.  For the first time all custody suites were now under one command across London and as the command matures some of the concerns of the past would be allayed.  Sean Wilson said that he had personally visited custody suites and had been impressed but accepted that there was still work to be done, especial where mental health issues were involved.  Helen Jenner, said that one of the things that we do know is that many of the needs of young people in custody could be met by use of therapies and counselling support.

Sara Barker, Independent Chair of Safeguarding Children Board, commented on the work that needed to be done to ensure that whether or not a young person is being looked after under the Children’s Act does not impact disproportionally and how safeguarding issues, such as sexual exploitation are recognised and appropriate action taken.

The Chair said the Children and Maternity Sub Group would clearly be picking up some of the work needed and reporting back to the Board in due course.

Anne Bristow said that following Havering pulling out of the Joint Service it was necessary and opportune to look again at the needs of young offenders and the services provided collectively by partners.

The Board received the report and the information contained within it, and noted the involvement of partners in delivering health and prevention services to young offenders.

The Board agreed:

(i)  The Divisional Director Community Safety and Public Protection should liaise with the Chief Operating Officer LBBD CCG in regards to a ‘task and finish’ group and to report back to the Board in six months on the support needed and available for young offenders, particularly for those that fall in between troubles families and offending.

(ii)  NHS Barking and Dagenham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) needed to have regard for the adequate provision of health services to support Youth Offending Services with a clear set of outcomes and activity expectations across the breadth of the youth justice system.

(iii)  All young offenders should have an annual health check encompassing physical, mental health, emotional health and health risk behaviours.  The findings and the agreed health outcomes plan agreed with the client should form part of the overall YOS care and support planning records.

(iv)  YOS Health Services need to be commissioned with adequate resource and a clear set of outcomes and activity expectations across the breadth of the youth justice system.

(v)  Significant work was needed to educate the wider health community about the needs of young offenders and develop a clear coherent pathway and transition plans for youth offenders; this work could be led by a GP clinical champion who has a special interest in adolescent medicine and the criminal justice system.

(vi)  Workforce development planning and training programmes for both health and social care staff should include explicit education on youth justice for all front line professionals.  There should also be specific training additional training support on health risk assessment and understanding of the NHS for YOS professionals.

(vii)   Consideration should be given to adding Young Offenders to the list of vulnerable groups in the Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

(viii)  Noted that the Metropolitan Police Custody Suites were now under a dedicated London-wide command to bring consistency to the service provided and NHS England had indicated that they were re-thinking their health provision in prisons and custody suites.