12.5 Assessment of Young People Accused, Cautioned or Convicted of Offences Against Children

These procedures should be considered alongside the Children who Harm Other Children Procedure

It is essential to distinguish between young people under the age of 18 who are designated as offenders

• those who pose a significant risk to children,
• and those who do not, e.g. where the circumstances of the offence do not indicate ongoing child protection concerns, such as unlawful consensual sexual intercourse between children of a similar age.

Police must notify the Integrated Front Door/Front Door for Families/ SPOA at the point of arrest for any offence against a child(ren). Children’s services must assess if there is an immediate risk to any child(ren) in the household or community.

A Strategy Discussion will be convened by the Children’s Services. The Social Work Manager chairing the Strategy Discussion must decide whether there is any immediate action necessary to protect the children. Where appropriate, the Youth Offending Team (YOT) will be invited to the Strategy Discussion. The Social Work Manager must consider whether a child protection enquiry or Family Assessment (also referred to a Child and Family Assessment or Strengthening Families Assessment) should be commenced.

The Police and YOT must notify Children’s Services when a young person is convicted or cautioned for an offence against a child(ren).

The YOT worker must also:

• Inform the young person and their family of the implications of this offence;
• Share any completed assessment (including AIM3) with the relevant Social Work Manager, outlining the context of the offence, available evidence, age differential between the young people, triggers to the offending, substance misuse and mental health issues;
• Attend any multi-agency reviews and contribute to the decision-making regarding child protection procedures.

If the Social Work Manager concludes that further assessment is not required, they must make a recommendation to the Service Manager indicating that the procedures need not be applied and the young person should not be treated by Children’s Services as a person identified as presenting a risk, or potential risk, to a child. If authorised, the decision must be recorded on both Children Services and YOT file.

Where there are convictions for sexual offences, there may be a requirement for registration on the sex offenders’ register. In these circumstances, the YOT report and any Children’s Services assessment and recommendations will be considered within the MAPPA process – Read more about MAPPA MAPPA Procedure