Children's Workforce Guide to Qualifications and Training: Youth justice

The youth justice workforce is undergoing major changes in the wake of former Youth Justice Board chair Charlie Taylor's 2016 review of the youth justice system. Those wishing to work in youth justice have a number of options, including working for the Youth Justice Board (YJB), which oversees the system in England and Wales, but whose remit has been reduced. Other roles are available in youth offending teams (YOTs), the police, courts, Crown Prosecution Service and the secure estate.

Key qualifications in the sector include the Youth Justice Effective Practice Certificate (YJEPC), with more than 2,000 people - including staff from all young offender institutions (YOIs) and around two-thirds of YOTs - successfully completing the distance-learning course. The YJEPC is accredited by Skills for Justice Awards, endorsed by the YJB and recognised by the University of Suffolk as representing 60 credits towards the Foundation Degree in Youth Justice (FDYJ).

Supported by a tutor highly experienced in youth justice, it is arranged in six learning blocks studied over 30 weeks. Courses start in April and October and cost £750 plus VAT.

The FDYJ is at the heart of the Youth Justice Professional Framework (YJPF) and is based on the key competencies required for work in the youth justice system, which are identified in the Youth Justice Skills Matrix.

Launched in April 2017, it is being delivered to both community and secure establishments, and consists of four modules taken over two years and two months. Students who already have the YJEPC are exempt from taking the third module, so can achieve a foundation degree in 18 months. As with YJEPC, students are assigned a tutor and have access to a wide range of digital learning materials.

The FDYJ is accredited by the University of Suffolk, with two entry points per year in April and October. It costs £4,000 plus VAT or £3,250 plus VAT for those who have the YJEPC.

A trailblazer group of youth justice employers from community and secure settings is working towards an apprenticeship scheme based on the foundation degree. There will also be an additional 120 academic credits available in 2019 for an honours degree.

Secure estate

The government is aiming to boost the number of frontline staff in YOIs by 20 per cent. At March 2018, there were 840 band 3 to 5 staff working within YOIs. The recruitment drive, which launched in April 2018, is focusing on broadening the ethnic diversity of the youth custody workforce.

The government intends to introduce a new specialist youth justice role in YOIs, currently under consultation and expected to be implemented from autumn 2018. Officers will be expected to hold at least a Level 4 Certificate of Higher Education in Youth Justice.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is working with Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) on the development of an apprenticeship scheme. Meanwhile, more than 200 youth custody staff are engaged in doing the youth justice foundation degree.

The government is introducing multi-disciplinary Enhanced Support Teams of health and psychology staff into secure children's homes and secure training centres, with plans to introduce teams to YOIs. Training and qualifications depend on the role within the team, but members are expected to have a training plan.

Further opportunities will arise with additional specialist support units and the development of two secure schools. The first enhanced support unit opened in Feltham YOI last year. Secure schools will employ a workforce trained to work with children with complex needs and challenging behaviour in a secure residential setting. The MoJ has published draft guidance for organisations looking to run secure schools. Youth justice minister Phillip Lee said both pilot establishments could be up and running by the end of 2019.

Community

Some Youth Offending Teams take on unqualified workers who work their way up through higher level grades. A qualification in social work is desirable but not essential. Graduates with a psychology or criminology background who have undertaken youth work-related experience can successfully apply for posts. Once employed by a YOT, they undertake youth justice specific in-service training and sometimes may get the opportunity to do YJPEC or a youth justice degree.

The Association of YOT Managers (AYM) runs a leadership development programme in partnership with Solace Enterprises. The target group is operational managers within YOTs, as well as newly appointed heads of service. Four cohorts have completed the programme, with another due to start in October 2018. It is at ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management) Level 5, with a Certificate in Leadership and Management also available.

The AYM last year offered its first ILM Level 7 Certificate in Leadership and Management for YOT senior managers, also in conjunction with Solace. The next cohort will start in September 2018. The association has worked with charity Achievement for All and Manchester Metropolitan University to develop the Youth Justice SEND Bubble - a set of online learning resources for YOT staff working with young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

To train to be a probation officer, an applicant needs to hold a recognised Level 5 qualification or above in any subject. They also need relevant experience of working with people in crisis and those who display challenging behaviour. Successful applicants will be offered employment as a Probation Services Officer supported through a Level 6 Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP).