Preventative services
What are preventative services?
Preventative services are services designed to prevent children and young people from entering the criminal justice system.
What is the aim of preventative services?
Preventative services aim to:
- identify children and young people (aged 8 to 17) who are most at risk of being involved in anti-social behaviour, school exclusion and offending behaviour, before they enter the criminal justice system (i.e. before is necessary for courts to deal with them)
- prevent these children and young people from entering the criminal justice system by allowing them the opportunity to modify their behaviour.
When and how are the preventative services available?
Children and young people considered to be at risk will be referred to the Youth Offending Team. This may be a self-referral, or a referral by partner agencies/professional bodies, such as the police or social services.
Once children and young people considered to be at risk have been identified, the Youth Offending Team will offer a 'package of intervention' which may include activities such as leisure activities, art programmes, drama workshops, and sports activities.
The Youth Justice Board has developed a variety of programmes which are intended to prevent young people from offending.
Page updated: 3 Feb 2011
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