This online seminar will be introduced by Dunston Patterson, Youth Justice Oversight Manager at the Youth Justice Board, with a presentation by Carmen Robin-D’Cruz, Senior Research Officer at the Centre, on the findings of the literature review. There will be a Q&A session at the end, together with a call for interested practitioners to take part in the research.
The Centre for Justice Innovation is undertaking a research project to explore the responsiveness of youth diversion to those with SEND (Special educational needs and disabilities) and the options available to improve current practice. Special educational needs and disabilities are widespread in the youth justice system. For example, 71% of children sentenced between April 2019 and March 2020 had speech, language and communication needs. In their joint policy paper – A Youth Justice System that Works for Children – the Association of Directors of Children’s Services, Local Government Association and the Association of Youth Offending Team Managers highlighted the ‘over-representation of children with special educational needs’ as a significant challenge in need of ‘urgent attention, and crucially, action’. Given that youth diversion is a gateway out of the formal criminal justice system, its responsiveness to those with SEND could prove key in addressing this.
The literature review is the first stage of the research and covers: what is known about the extent of SEND needs within the youth justice system; what the existing research literature suggests about effective ways to work with children and young people with SEND; and how far youth diversion is set up to ensure responsivity to those with SEND.
This online event will be held on Teams, a joining link will be sent to attendees in advance.
Please contact Carmen Robin-D’Cruz for more information: cdcruz@justiceinnovation.org
