Joint guidance on mental health in the youth justice system
Policy implementation guidance to address the mental health problems of children and young people in the youth justice system.
Documents
Details
Health is one of the policy areas devolved to the National Assembly for Wales and Welsh Government.
The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB) and the Welsh Government work together to ensure that the mental health needs of children and young people in contact with the youth justice system are appropriately identified and addressed.
This guidance takes a system approach to the liaison and diversion pathways between youth justice and health.
It is for:
- service commissioners
- providers within health
- youth justice and allied services such as the police and the wider local authority
It will help professionals and practitioners concerned with children’s services:
- use opportunities within the Welsh Government’s Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010
- increase focus on achieving objectives through local partnership arrangements
This guidance helps the Welsh Government:
- meet its statutory responsibilities according to the Crime and Disorder Act 1998
- discharge its duties and obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
The YJB has joint governance arrangements with the Welsh Government. This helps it to oversee and support the implementation of the objectives set out within this guidance. This is also be basis for the YJB’s advice and guidance to the sector within Wales.
For more information, read:
the Welsh Government ‘Together for Mental Health’ strategy
the joint Welsh Government and YJB youth justice strategy ‘children and young people first’