Prevention

Youth Crime Prevention Strategy
Since it’s creation under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, the YOS has had as it’s principle aim, that of reducing offending. In Sheffield, much good practice has come from this but in July 2006 the time was judged right to promote and strengthen this role for the Youth Offending Service and a Youth Crime Prevention Strategic Group was formed. In January 2007 Sheffield YOS was proud to launch the Youth Crime Prevention Strategy. Download the full Youth Crime Prevention Strategy.

This Youth Crime Prevention Strategy is primarily concerned with ensuring that targeted work with those young people most at risk of offending is as effective as possible. It exists amongst a range of other plans and arrangements that govern the provision of 'universal' services for children and young people across Sheffield.

These services are important in ensuring that children and young people and their families reach their full potential.

It is acknowledged however that some will require more support and the purpose of this strategy is to describe what extra support will be offered for those children and young people at risk of offending.

Prevention Teams
The strategy also describes the agreed delivery ‘model’ for Prevention Services in the city – the establishment of two Prevention Teams providing services for the ‘north’ and ‘south’ of the city.

Movement to a locality-based service provides an opportunity for the Youth Offending Service to be part of a citywide strategy to develop and deliver preventative services locally whilst raising the profile of the Youth Offending Service in communities across Sheffield. We are now able to offer an increased prevention service in Sheffield for both young people at risk of engaging in anti-social behaviour and offending and their families. Deployment to localities also means easier access for referrers and those young people referred for Prevention Team services.

In addition, the change in delivery also provides the opportunity for our targeted provision to develop closer links with universal services, a relationship which is particularly important when easing reintegration of young people and their families into locality based mainstream universal services.

What is North? What is South?
Geographically the North and South teams are aligned with the boundaries of the Sheffield Safer Neighbourhood Areas (SNAs). Consequently, the North Prevention Team will cover:

• City Centre

• Hillsborough

• Ecclesfield

• Burngreave

• Tinsley

• Darnall

• Attercliffe

Whilst the South Prevention Team will cover:

• Woodhouse

• Manor

• Arbourthorne

• Gleadless

• Woodseats

• Sharrow

• Broomhill.

To download a map showing the SNAs and contacts click here.

What are the aims of the Prevention Team?
The Prevention Team aims to:

• Reduce risk factors such as low school attendance, a history of school exclusions, truancy, negative friendship groups, low self-esteem, substance misuse or lack of constructive leisure activities, which make young people more likely to engage in crime and anti-social behaviour.
  

• Provide young people with the mainstream and voluntary support they need at the earliest opportunity, referring to, and working alongside other agencies in the city to put together an individual plan for the each of the young people we work with.
  

• Action Final Warnings delivered by the Police in Sheffield. A final warning is given as a diversion from court for young people with no previous convictions, depending on the seriousness of the offence.  Final Warnings tackle offending behaviour at the earliest stage by trying to divert young people away from further offending through a range of interventions.

What support does the Prevention Team provide?

• Individual Prevention Team Officer support

• Support and guidance in accessing a range of services and interventions with the aim of reducing the risk factors around engagement in anti-social behaviour, offending and re-offending

• Support in liasing and communicating with schools across the city with the aim of ensuring young people are in appropriate full-time education

• Provision of the opportunity to participate in constructive diversionary activities after school and in the school holidays, including school holiday activities and a weekly Youth Club

• Access to individual volunteer mentors and a befriending system to increase self-esteem and self-confidence

• Support to parents and families of young people in boundary setting and with the provision of suitable parenting strategies and access to appropriate parenting programmes

• 1:1 contact and group work around a range of pertinent issues, including conflict resolution, substance misuse, anger management, therefore increasing the understanding of consequence to actions and building essential skills for the future

Who is eligible for referral to the Prevention Teams?

In order for a young person to be eligible for referral to the Prevention Teams they must meet the following criteria:

• Age 8-18 years

• Resident in the city of Sheffield

• Has not passed the Final Warning stage of the Criminal Justice System

• Evidence of offending/anti-social behaviour in the community (in addition to school or home e.g. has received warning letters re. ASB or is subject to an Acceptable Behaviour Contract).

• Involvement in, or on the periphery of gang involvement including behaviour that may suggest association with gang members – i.e. carrying weapons or unexplained income.

• Child and family are willing to participate in the programme under a voluntary contract.

• In the early stages of difficulty.

• Short-term help required

Please note - if a young person has received a Final Warning they will automatically be allocated a Prevention Team Officer to carry out an initial assessment. This assessment aims to identify any risk factors associated with the young person’s offending behaviour such as homelessness, substance misuse, poor school attendance and/or unemployment. This assessment will also consider the victim’s views and the impact of the offence on the victim and assess the likelihood of the young person taking part in any intervention.

How do I refer the Prevention Team?

Referral to the Prevention Team can be done through a variety of ways:

Route One
Any agency or individual, including parents and carers, can refer directly to the Prevention Teams at any time. A direct and independent referral can be made through completion and submission of the Referral and Screening Form to the Prevention Coordinator in the relevant locality. The Referral and Screening Form must be completed as fully as possible, with particular attention given to detailing the Nominator’s concerns and the risk factors identified. It is expected that the forms will be filled in with the young person and their family following discussions with them about their concerns, wishes and expectations. To download a copy of the Prevention Team Referral & Screening Form click on the appropriate link.

North Team

South Team

Route Two
In addition, referrals can also be made to the Prevention Teams through the NAG (Neighbourhood Action Group) process within the Safer Neighbourhood Area (SNA) structure.

There are strong links between Prevention Team Officers, Safer Neighbourhood Officers and the NAG meetings.  Direct referrals can be made to the respective Prevention Team Officer outside of the NAG process.  However, referrals made in this way should be reported at the NAG meeting.

Route Three
Finally, the Prevention Teams will accept a completed Common Assessment Framework (CAF) as a referral. 

For further information, or with any enquiries, contact:

For the North Prevention Team -

Tel: 0114 243 5597

Email: helen.gill@sheffield.gov.uk

For the South Prevention Team –

Tel: 0114 283 5927

Email: sue.hadfield@sheffield.gov.uk