Working with Young People Affected by the Criminal Justice System

Overview

Children and young people who come into contact with the criminal justice system are often experiencing circumstances that extend far beyond offending behaviour. Their lives may be affected by trauma, exploitation, disrupted relationships, poverty, exclusion from education, substance misuse, peer influence, mental health and emotional wellbeing difficulties, or previous experiences of abuse and neglect.

📅 Date & Time: 23rd October, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 Live Online via Teams
📢 Early Bird Price: £54 (VAT included) – Register 2+ weeks before
🎟️ Standard Price: £74 (VAT included) – Group Discount available for groups of 5+

For professionals working in children’s social care, understanding these experiences is essential. Young people should not be defined solely by offending behaviour or viewed simply through the lens of risk.

This practical course explores how professionals can work effectively with young people who are offending, at risk of offending, have previously offended, or are otherwise affected by the criminal justice system.

The course considers the relationship between safeguarding, accountability and support, including the particular vulnerability of care-experienced children and the importance of avoiding unnecessary criminalisation.

Participants will explore approaches that recognise risk and harm while maintaining a focus on relationships, strengths, identity, opportunities for change and the young person’s future.

Course Content

The course explores how and why children and young people may become involved with the criminal justice system and the range of individual, relational, social and environmental factors that can contribute to offending and criminalisation.

Participants will consider the relationship between childhood adversity, trauma, attachment, disrupted education, peer relationships, exploitation, substance misuse and offending behaviour. Attention will also be given to the distinction between children as perpetrators of harm and children who may themselves be experiencing exploitation, coercion or victimisation.

The course will examine the experiences of children in care and care-experienced young people, including the risk that behaviour which might be managed differently within a family environment can result in police involvement and criminal justice responses when it occurs within care settings.

Participants will explore the importance of proportionate responses to incidents, including when police involvement may be necessary and when alternative approaches may be more appropriate.

The course will also consider engagement with young people involved with Youth Justice Services, police, courts and other agencies, and how effective multi-agency working can contribute to safeguarding, rehabilitation and positive outcomes.

Restorative and strengths-based approaches will be explored alongside concepts such as positive identity, desistance, accountability and supporting young people to recognise their strengths and possibilities beyond offending.

Practice Application

Throughout the course, participants will be encouraged to look beyond the immediate behaviour and consider what may be happening in the young person’s wider life.

Practical discussion and scenarios will explore how professionals can respond to offending and risk-taking behaviour without allowing the behaviour to define the young person.

Participants will consider how to maintain meaningful professional relationships while setting appropriate boundaries, managing risk and supporting accountability.

The course will explore responses to incidents within residential and supported settings, including decision-making around police involvement, safeguarding responses, information sharing and communication with other professionals.

Participants will also consider how direct work and key working can help young people explore consequences, relationships, decision-making, peer influence, exploitation, aspirations and alternative futures.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants should be able to:

• Understand some of the pathways through which children and young people may become involved with the criminal justice system.
• Recognise the relationship between adversity, trauma, exploitation, relationships and offending behaviour.
• Consider offending behaviour within the wider context of a young person’s experiences and circumstances.
• Recognise when a young person involved in offending may also be experiencing exploitation, coercion or victimisation.
• Understand the particular risks of criminalisation for children in care and care-experienced young people.
• Consider when police involvement may be necessary and when alternative responses may be appropriate.
• Balance safeguarding, risk management and accountability with relationship-based support.
• Work more effectively alongside Youth Justice Services, police and other relevant agencies.
• Apply restorative and strengths-based principles when responding to offending behaviour.
• Support young people to develop identities that are not defined by offending or criminal justice involvement.
• Use purposeful direct work to explore decision-making, consequences, relationships, risk and future aspirations.
• Promote opportunities for rehabilitation, positive change and social inclusion.
• Reflect critically on how professional and organisational responses can either reduce or contribute to the criminalisation of young people.

Intended Audience

This course is suitable for professionals working with children and young people who are involved with, at risk of becoming involved with, or affected by the criminal justice system. This includes residential childcare practitioners, children’s home managers and deputy managers, supported accommodation practitioners and managers, foster carers and fostering professionals, social workers, personal advisers, key workers and other professionals working with adolescents across children’s social care.

Course Facilitator

Silvia Lopez Quijada is an experienced practitioner, academic and trainer with specialist knowledge across youth justice, criminal justice, victimology, restorative justice and domestic abuse.

Her professional and academic interests include understanding offending and victimisation within their wider social and relational contexts and exploring evidence-informed approaches that promote accountability, rehabilitation and positive change.

Silvia brings a strong combination of academic knowledge and practice-focused learning to her training. Her approach encourages participants to look beyond labels and presenting behaviour, consider the experiences and circumstances influencing young people’s involvement with the criminal justice system, and develop responses that balance safeguarding, accountability, relationships and opportunities for change.

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