In August, the Youth Justice Board (YJB) unveiled further details of its pilot programme that will see young people live in supported accommodation instead of a custody setting.
The scheme, announced in July 2021, will be trialled in two locations in London and involve a range of partners. If successful, it could be extended to other parts of England. How does the scheme work?
The London Accommodation Pathfinder (LAP) aims to accommodate 16- and 17-year-old boys for up to six months as an alternative to custody, whether that is due to being held on remand or as part of their resettlement from a young offender institution.
The LAP sites will be established in east and north London, each accommodating up to five young people. The new settings will be psychologically informed environments and will provide young people with specialist education and therapeutic support.
Matthew Knights, strategic development manager at the pathfinder, says the approach will “create an environment where trauma and the psychological needs of the children are understood and supported, and will ensure that the staff are skilled at developing reflection and relationships with the children”. Who is involved in delivering it?
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