1. Transitions from youth to adult
criminal justice services
Arrangements between Avon and
Somerset YOTs and Probation Trust

2. Introduction
• In 2012 through the South West Consortium it was
established that a new YOT to Probation protocol
was needed.
• The aim of the revised protocol is to build upon the
good relationships that the YOTs and Probation
already have in place in Avon and Somerset.
• To incorporate the learning from the joint Thematic
Inspection which took place in 2012 and the Youth to
Adult Transitions Framework published by the YJB
and MOJ in 2012.

3. Introduction continued
• Nick Whitefield met with Mike Rees in
December 2012 and following this Mike took
the proposal to the YOT boards and it was
agreed that NW would work on the protocol
with Jackie Dees representing the YOTs.
• The first draft (with much help from Connor
Wilkinson) completed towards the end of
May.

4. Introduction
• 1st draft discussed at YOT managers meeting
27th June 2013
• 2nd draft completed by Adrian Quinn 1st
August.
• Awaiting further feedback and amendments
from YOT managers and Probation.
• Issues that have needed to be considered are
differing working practices of the 5 local YOTs.

5. Introduction
• Other issues are the differences in practice
(process and systems) between the YOTs and
Probation and Intergrated Offender
Management.
• More recently the Transforming Rehabilitation
agenda.

6. Introduction
• Our starting point for the protocol is that the
period of transition when a young person
moves from the YOT to Probation is a critical
time. Professionals should work to ensure
that the young person is properly safeguarded
and that any risks they pose to the public are
minimised.

7. Objectives of Protocol:
• That the young person’s needs are met,
including any vulnerabilities
• Reduced re-offending and harm
• Better risk management and more informed
assessments
• Continuity of interventions
• To ensure that the transition process is
planned and managed.

8. Role of Youth Offending Teams
• Supervise all young people on Referral Orders,
Youth Rehabilitation Orders, Detention and
Training Orders and longer custodial sentences
from ages 10-17/18
• Protect the Public, Protect the Child/Young
Person and Reduce Likelihood of Re-offending

9. Transfer to Probation
• Can only transfer YROs, DTOs and custodial
sentences
• Transfers take place once young person is 18
• Don’t need to transfer all 18 year olds
• Planning for transfer should start when the
Order starts

10. Factors when deciding to transfer
• the maturity of the young person based on the
joint professional judgement of the YOT and
probation offender manager
• risks to the young person’s safety and wellbeing
• type of offence and court order
• sentence length
• learning and developmental issues
• mental health and substance misuse issues
• physical and social care needs

11. Factors when deciding to transfer
• previous compliance
• other risk factors
• the interventions which the young person needs
to access and if the YOT or probation is better
placed to provide those services (this will include
input from service providers obtained at the
professionals’ meeting)
• the young person’s view on whether the transfer
should take place
• the family’s view on whether the transfer should
take place.

12. When to start the transfer
• Start transition planning when a young person
is sentenced and is likely to be turning 18
before the end of the order
• For IMPACT and high risk/MAPPA offenders,
start the transfer process at 6 months before
18th birthday
• For other young people, start the process at 3
months before 18th birthday

13. Working Together
For a period of up to 3 months before and up to
3 months after transfer, supervision of the
young person should be jointly conducted by
the relevant YOT case worker and the identified
Probation offender manager. The length of the
period of joint pre and post transfer supervision
should be determined by the relevant
operations managers based on the needs of and
risks posed by the individual young person.

14. Factors to consider
• share appropriate information
• young person’s risk of serious harm and risks
to his/her safety and wellbeing
• the relationships in the young person’s life and
their associates, including any gang affiliation
• employment, training and education
involvement/needs
• drug or alcohol misuse and health needs

15. Factors to consider
• lifestyle and living arrangements
• young person’s family’s involvement with the YOT,
including any family intervention work and any
family substance misuse or criminogenic aspects
• emotional wellbeing, attitudes, thinking and
behaviour, perceptions of themselves and others,
motivation to change and progress of the young
person against their sentence plan and work
undertaken

16. Factors to consider
• MAPPA/risk management issues
• outstanding court cases and any enforcement
issues
• Identify if the young person is a Looked After
Child and which services they are entitled to and
involve the looked after or aftercare social
worker.
• Probation Trust will consider whether the young
person fits the criteria for any priority offender
(e.g. IRiS/Impact) scheme in line with local and
national guidance.

17. Factors to consider
• Risk of Serious Harm assessment
• probation’s contribution to transition planning
for the individual young person
• any other issues
• transition to other adult services e.g. mental
health services

18. Former YOT cases
• Not every young person who has worked with
a YOT will have gone through a formal
transition process
• With 18/19 year olds if there have been
offences between the ages of 10–17,
probation offender managers will contact the
relevant YOT and seek information on that
young person.

19. Former YOT cases cont’d
• The young person may be used to the requirements
of the youth justice system but may need assistance
in meeting the requirements of the adult system.
YOTs where appropriate may assist probation in the
initial management of these cases to help young
people adjust to the difference in services
• Where case has not gone through transition process,
both agencies will consider whether elements of this
need to be initiated.

20. Role of Probation
• Work with the YOTs, the young person, family
and other agencies to ensure that the
transition is managed and planned effectively
following the principles of :
• Consistency
• Continuity
• Commitment
• Consolidation

21. Role of Probation continued
• Once the YOT has identified the case for transfer, Probation
will ensure the timely allocation of a Probation Offender
manager to ensure that the transition process is undertaken
within the agreed timescales and follows transition process
highlighted.
• Probation Officers will use their professional judgment (in line
with National Standards) to manage the transition, taking
account of the different working cultures of the organisations
to help manage the transition and the needs of the Young
Person.
• Probation to identify champions in teams who will work with
young people on their caseloads to embed and consolidate
good practice.

22. Review and learning
• YOT and probation operations managers will conduct a joint
annual evaluation review of all the cases the YOT has
transferred to probation that year containing the following
elements:
- Feedback from young people and their families obtained at
end of the order.
- Number of cases which have been transferred for that period.
- Analysis of the reoffending rates of those young people who
have gone through the transition process.
- Number of breaches and general compliance in probation.
- Relationships and partnership working between YOTs and
probation.

23. Review and learning cont’d
• This evaluation will inform a review of the
local protocol which will also take place
annually. The aim of the review is to update
the local protocol with improvements to
practice, promoting the development of good
practice and taking account of any lessons
learnt.