Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department's White Paper, A Smarter Approach to Sentencing, published on 16 September 2020, whether he plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of using (a) community settings and (b) parental involvement in youth offender panels prior to bringing forward legislative proposals on youth sentencing.

We are aware that problem-solving approaches work well within the current youth justice system, and we recognise that effective multi-agency working can have a positive impact on a child’s rehabilitation. In the Smarter Approach to Sentencing White Paper, published on 16 September 2020, we proposed pilots for adult problem-solving courts. We are keen to learn from these pilots, to explore problem-solving approaches in the youth justice system and build the evidence base for the use of panels in youth justice beyond their current use for Referral Orders.

Youth Offender Panels already operate for children who are given Referral Orders; parents are always requested to join both the initial panel meeting and the review meetings. The guidance on Referral Orders is clear that constructive engagement with the child’s parents or carers is an important aspect of the youth offender panel process. Youth Offender Panels must also take place in spaces that are safe, appropriate and practical to do so and Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) are encouraged to hold Panels in an inclusive community-based settings. This guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/young-offenders-referral-orders