Youth Justice Practitioner FdSc

*The qualification is designed to: explore the diverse and changing context of youth justice, and support learners to develop knowledge and understanding of the specific needs of children and young people. This includes the issues impacting their identity and development, with a specific focus on crime, criminal behaviour and responses to these issues.<br/><br/><strong>What Will I Study?</strong><br/><br/><strong>Introduction to Youth Justice:</strong><br/>Overview of the development of the youth justice system in England & Wales<br/>Relevant policy, legislation, welfare & justice models<br/>Organisations which make up the YJS; roles, statutory duties and differing approaches.<br/>Age of criminal responsibility<br/>Factors leading to involvement with YJS<br/>Diversionary and Court imposed outcomes<br/><br/><strong>Child First’ Youth Justice:</strong><br/>Four tenets of ‘Child First’<br/>Development of Child First evidence base<br/>Focus on child-centred, collaborative approaches which divert children & young people from YJS<br/>Application of ‘Child First’ evidence base in practice across YJS<br/>Opportunities & challenges for practitioners.<br/>Children & Young People: Needs, Rights & Equality:<br/>Diverse needs & identity of children & young people in YJS<br/>Age, maturity, ethnicity, gender, neurodiversity, care status & vulnerability<br/>Transitions for children & young people in YJS – adulthood, custody & community resettlement.<br/>Rights & equality for justice involved children<br/>Disproportionality, bias, intersectionality, cultural difference & competency.<br/>Advocating for children, young people & their families.<br/><br/><strong>Assessment and Decision Making:</strong><br/>Concepts, theories & factors relevant to children & young people’s offending including risk vs. safety.<br/>Different approaches to & purposes of assessing justice involved children & young people<br/>Holistic assessment, use of assessment tools, sentencing planning, implementation & review.<br/>Importance of professional judgement, appropriate & defensible decision making & evidence informed assessments.<br/><br/><strong>Contextual Safeguarding:</strong><br/>Contextual harms which pose a risk to children including criminal & sexual exploitation<br/>Policy & legislative responses<br/>Practice approaches to prevention, protection & safety planning.<br/>Concepts of victims, vulnerability & victimisation including victim / offender overlap<br/>External factors leading to criminalisation including; educational exclusion & being in care<br/><br/><strong>Professionalism and Collaborative Practice:</strong><br/>Accountability, ethics & values in youth justice practice<br/>Principles of effective team & partnership working<br/>Legislative requirements & information sharing<br/>Managing inter & intra agency conflict & appropriate challenge<br/>Opportunities & challenges to effective collaborative working.