If you go to court

Please ensure you:

• wear clothes that respect the court and ensure
• arrive at:
  • 9.45am for a morning appearance
  • 1.45pm for an afternoon appearance

When you arrive, you will be greeted by security, who will check that you are on the court list and which court you are due in.

You should then report to the court List Caller (Usher) – they will usually be holding a clipboard.

They will tell you where to wait and which courtroom to go to.

You will find the Haringey Youth Justice team office located at the top of stairs near Court 10 – please make yourself known to us as well as the court List Caller.

Who's who in court

The following people will be present:

• the Judge or Magistrate sits at the top of the court
• the Crown prosecution on your left and your solicitor on your right
• members of the Youth Justice Service will sit on the left-hand side
• the Legal adviser, who sits in front of the Judge/Magistrate

You must attend with one person who is one of the following:

• parent
• carer
• Appropriate Adult

No one else will be allowed into the courtroom with you.

Youth courts are less formal than adult courts. They are designed to make it easier for you to understand what is happening.

You have been told to attend court because you either have:

• been charged with at least one offence at the police station and bailed to court
• received a letter from the police, summonsing you to attend court

Once your case has been heard, there are a few possible outcomes.

Unconditional or conditional bail

The court have decided to bail you to attend a future court hearing. There are 2 types of bail, unconditional and conditional:

• unconditional bail means there are no conditions on your bail period, but you will need to turn up to the next court date
• conditional bail means there are some restrictions to your bail period which you must follow, or you may commit another offence

Examples of restrictions include:

• residence – you must live and sleep at a certain address)
• a curfew, possibly with an electronically-monitored tag – this means you must be at home between certain hours during the day and/or overnight to prevent you from getting into any more trouble
• location monitoring, possibly with a GPS tag – you will not be allowed to enter a certain area during your bail period
• report to the police station on certain days at certain times
• not contacting certain people, usually victims, witnesses or co-defendants

Conditional bail – Bail Support and Supervision programme

If the court takes the view that more stringent supervision conditions are needed, the court could bail you to your next hearing with what is called a Bail Support and Supervision programme.

This is a package of supervision and support if you are at risk of being remanded into custody (known as a Remand to Youth Detention Accommodation) or being remanded to local authority accommodation. It is aimed at stopping you from re-offending whilst on bail. It provides an opportunity to stay in the community, in a programme tailored to manage your risk and safety, and to avoid further offending.

As part of the bail package, you will have to attend regular appointments with us until the proceedings are concluded or the package is removed. You will also be given other conditions to your bail as listed above.

Conditional bail – with Intensive Support and Supervision (ISS)

ISS is an intensive community-based package offered where standard bail support and supervision is not considered sufficient and is an alternative to secure remand.

This ISS package is either a set of bail conditions or a remand into local authority accommodation (RILAA) with conditions.

The YJS will assess whether you are suitable for Bail/RILAA ISS, but the decision rests with the court. ISS Bail/RILAA will only be proposed and used as a last resort. The YJS will try to ensure that Bail/RILAA ISS is as bespoke, tailored and child-focused as possible.

Conditions are likely to include:

• a tagged curfew
• GPS monitoring
• 25+ hours of weekly contact with daily supervision including education, training or employment (where available)

Remand into local authority care (RILAA)

The court have decided to remand you to attend a future court hearing. This means that you will become looked after by the local authority.

The local authority will also be responsible for providing the most suitable accommodation for you. This can be living:

• at home
• with a relative
• in foster care
• in a children’s home

As a looked after child, you will be given a social worker to support you and you will also have an independent reviewing office. You can also be given conditions, just like the bail conditions listed above.

London Accommodation Pathfinder (LAP)

The LAP offers a supported accommodation alternative to youth custody for London boys aged 16 to 17 (and those who turn 18 in provision).

The pathfinder runs from 2 properties across London, each offering 5 beds, so has the capacity for a maximum of 10 children at any given time.

The properties are run by an accommodation provider that specialises in supporting this cohort of children.

One of the main focusses of the LAP will be to support the children identity shift from a pro-offending identity to pro-social identity.

In considering some of the principles of the constructive resettlement framework, the evidence suggests that to facilitate the child’s identity shift, work to support resettlement needs to be organised in a 2-stage framework. The first stage should always direct the second.

Watch a video from the Youth Justice Resource Hub about LAP:

Find more help and resources about LAP for young people and professionals

Remand to youth detention accommodation (custody)

If you are over the age of 12, have been refused bail and meet the conditions you will be sent to youth detention accommodation (YDA).

There are 2 sets of conditions for being remanded to YDA:

• serious offences condition (when you are charged with a violent or sexual offence, or one which is punishable with imprisonment of 14 years or more in the case of an adult)
• recent history/history condition (when you are charged with any other imprisonable offence)

Depending on your age you will be placed at either a:

• secure children’s home (if under 13)
• Secure Training Centre (if under 15)
• Young Offender Institute (if 15 to 17)

Secure children’s home (SCH)

A secure children’s home (SCH) is a high quality, safe and therapeutic environment where there is a high ratio of staffing to residents. Provision includes full residential care, education and healthcare.

Secure training centre (STC)

A STC is usually larger than a SCH and accommodates children who are too vulnerable for a YOI.

Young offender’s institution (YOI)

A YOI is a type of secure accommodation that houses 15 to 21 year olds although the under 18s are kept separate from the older residents.

You will receive:

• education
• vocational training
• offending behaviour sessions
• healthcare support

There are 5 YOIs in England and Wales:

• Cookham Wood
• Feltham
• Parc
• Werrington
• Wetherby

Other prisons have YOI facilities.

A pre-sentence report (PSR) is requested by the court when you are found guilty at trial or plead guilty. It is written by your youth justice officer to explain to the court about the offence, the reasons it was committed and your life. This includes your offending history, school, family, relationships and home life.

The report will conclude with an intervention proposal for the court. The court does not have to agree with this proposal.

What the PSR includes

A YJS worker will contact you and your family/carer to arrange a meeting. This will include visiting you at home.

The YJS worker will ask you about why you think you got into trouble as well as other questions about your education, friends and family.

Interview length 

Appointments usually last one hour. You might have 2 appointments to find out all the information that is needed for your pre-sentence report.

Location of your meetings

Your meetings will usually take place at 38 Station Road, Wood Green, N22 7BF, or at another centre in the community. Your YJS worker will let you know where.

You need to let your case manager know where you feel safe. 

Who is allowed to see the PSR?

You, your parents/carers, your solicitor, the judge/magistrate and the YJS.

We may also share the report with other people who support you such as education workers or Social Services.

The rules

• Attend all your appointments
• Be open and honest about your offending
• Be prepared to talk about any problems you may have so the YJS can help
• Be respectful to the YJS case worker
• Do not bring your friends
• Do not attend after using drugs or alcohol

If you need this information in a printable format, you can download it: Pre-Sentence Report (PSR) – list for print (pdf, 1 page(s), 53.63 KB)

Fine/costs/compensation/victim surcharge

These are financial penalties that can be imposed by the court and will depend upon your circumstances and ability to pay.

These can be issued on their own or as well as other sentences:

• fine – these are payable to the court
• costs – this is to cover or contribute to the prosecution of the case
• compensation – for the injury, damage or loss to the victim. Paid to the victim.
• victim surcharge – this goes towards victim support services to help future victims

You can pay your court fines online at GOV.UK

Absolute discharge

The court has decided not to punish you further as the experience of court is deemed sufficient punishment. These are given for minor offences; however, this will be recorded on your criminal record.

Conditional discharge

If the court sentences you to a conditional discharge, then as long as you do not re-offend within the time given at court then there will be no punishment. If you do re-offend, then you will be re-sentenced for the original offence as well as the new offences. Conditional Discharges are recorded on your criminal record.

Referral Order

A Referral Order can be given to children and young people between the ages of 10 and 17 when they have done something that is wrong and against the law.

This is usually the first order you would receive at court if you pleaded guilty. You will be given an appointment to meet with a worker from Haringey YJS together with your parent/carer(s). They will gather information with a view to completing an assessment and a report.

Referral Order Panel meeting

A panel meeting is held with 2 members of the public and staff from the Haringey YJS. At the meeting you will discuss and agree on what you need to do to stay out of trouble.

This will be written into a contract that must be signed by you, the panel and your parent/carer, to say that you all agree with it. The contract will include what you will have to do, to repair the harm caused. This may include writing a letter of apology or activities to benefit the community.

There will be other specific work dependent upon your need, such as substance misuse, mental health, victim awareness, offending behaviour.

Length of a Referral Order

A Referral Order can last between 3 and 12 months. The court will decide the length of your Referral Order.

The Order does not start until you have had your first panel meeting.

Location of the panel meeting

Your meetings will usually take place at 38 Station Road, Wood Green, N22 7BF, or at another centre in the community.

Your YJS worker will let you know where.

The rules

• Follow the rules in your contract
• Go to all of your sessions with your case worker and you have to be on time, unless you have a good reason
• Tell us if you change your address or phone number
• Be polite to case workers and all Haringey Youth Justice Service staff
• You must not have any drugs or alcohol before your appointment
• You must not bring any friends to appointments

If you need this information in a printable format, you can download it: Referral Order – list for print (pdf, 1 page(s), 55.07 KB)

Youth Rehabilitation Order (YRO)

A YRO can be given to you when you have committed an offence (done something that is against the law).

You may have had a previous Order and now the Court/YJS think you need extra help to stop offending. 

If you are sentenced to a YRO, it is likely that the court will include requirements (conditions) that you must follow if you want to complete the order. These requirements/conditions could include:

• supervision – attend appointments with us
• curfew – be at home during certain periods
• electronic monitoring – used together with the curfew, you will be tagged to ensure you stay at home during certain periods. An external company will come to your residence and fit the tag to your ankle and will notify us of any breaches.
• activity – you will engage in particular activities for a specific number of days
• prohibited Activity – you must NOT undertake a certain activity such as attend a particular residence/property, travel on a certain bus route etc
• programme – you must attend a particular programme, such as weapons awareness and victim awareness
• residence – you must stay at a specified place – usually your home/placement
• exclusion – you must NOT enter a particular area for up to 3 months
• reparation – if you are 16/17 you will attend reparation sessions for a particular number of hours

Length of the YRO

A YRO can last up to 3 years. If you do not reoffend and work hard with the YJS the length of your Order can be shortened. 

YRO meetings location

Your meetings will usually take place at 38 Station Road, Wood Green, N22 7BF, or at another centre in the community.

Your YJS case worker will let you know where. You need to let your case manager know where you feel safe.

Who is involved?

You will meet with a YJS worker who will talk to you and your parent/carer.

You will agree a plan to support you with what you feel you need to stop getting into more trouble.

Your YJS case worker and the Haringey YJS are here to help you stay out of trouble.

The rules

• Follow the rules in your YRO plan.
• Go to all of your sessions with your case manager and be on time, unless you have a good reason
• Tell us if you change your address or phone number
• Be polite to case workers and all Haringey YJS staff
• You must not have any drugs or alcohol before your appointment
• You must not bring any friends to appointments

If you need this information in a printable format, you can download it: Youth Rehabilitation Order – list for print (pdf, 1 page(s), 54.67 KB)

Intensive Supervision and Surveillance

this is used as an alternative to custody and is an intensive intervention for between 90 and 180 days.

You will receive a timetable of 25 hours of activities each week for the first 3 months and then this will be reviewed.

This will include:

• reporting to us regularly
• attending education

You will also be expected to:

• attend victim awareness
• write a letter of apology
• attend offending behaviour sessions/groups

You will also be tagged with a curfew.

If you need this information in a printable format, you can download it: Intensive Supervision and Surveillance – list for print (pdf, 1 page(s), 55.12 KB) 

Detention and training orders

This is a custodial sentence for young people aged between 12 and 17 years. This is for serious offences or where you have persistently committed offences.

If you are aged:

• 12 to 14 – you will usually go to a secure training unit
• 15 to 17 – you can be sent to either a secure training unit or a Young Offender Institution dependent upon your circumstances

You will be sentenced to between 4 months and 2 years and will spend the first half of the order in custody. The second half will be served in the community although you will have to attend appointments at the YJS.

Your YJS worker will visit you in the custodial establishment on a monthly basis. They will plan for your release from custody to ensure you have suitable housing and education.

If you need this information in a printable format, you can download it: Detention and training order guidance – for print

s250 Custody

This is a longer-term custodial sentence for more serious offences.

The automatic release date is following 2-thirds of the sentence. The maximum sentence is 14 years.

s254 Custody

This is an extended determinate custodial sentence.

The Assisted Prison Visit scheme (APVS) provides a contribution towards prison visit costs for close relatives, partners or sole visitors.

The visitor must be on a low income.

Get help with the cost of prison visits – GOV.UK

During the course of your appointments with us, we use a variety of support packages aimed at helping you with any problems you may have and repairing the harm you have caused.

This support could include:

• education – to help you with you any problems at school, college or training
• CAMHS – to help if you are distressed, upset or worried about things in your life
• drugs and alcohol – to help you understand the impact of substance misuse and to help you reduce or stop.
• reparation – each session will last between 2 and 6 hours and you will be undertaking work in the community such as gardening, painting etc
• Reducing Offending Behaviour programmes – to help you change your thinking, attitude and behaviour which may lead you to re-offend
• victim awareness – to help you understand how the victim feels
• life skills – this could involve cooking, financial advice and learning how to look after yourself
• weapons awareness – to help you understand the impact of carrying and using weapons and will teach you first aid techniques
• positive activities – positive leisure activities including boxing, football, film workshops
• family support – we provide parental and family support and advice
• groups – we use a variety of groupwork activities including:
  • Aspire Higher (life skills)
  • Street Doctors (emergency first aid)
  • Ether Project (personal development and leadership skills)
  • UpSkillU (mentoring)
  • Dusty Knuckle (baking and cookery training provider)
  • Parenting Group
  • Venturous Project (offending behaviour)
• Old Bailey day trip – a trip to the highest criminal court which covers how the court works and weapons awareness
• Houses of Parliament day trip – a trip to Westminster to show how the government and voting works

You can also access other support for you and your family to help with any problems you or your wider family are experiencing. See our Early Help offer pages for more information.

You will be given your first appointment while at court. You can also get phone calls and text reminders.

It is important that you are on time or it may not be possible to see you and the appointment will have to be rescheduled.

If you are unable to come to your appointment it is vital that you let us know beforehand. You must have a good reason and have a doctor’s letter or medical certificate if you are too unwell to attend.

You should not bring friends with you. They will be asked to leave the premises.

Your case manager will meet with you and will ask questions about:

• you
• your family
• your education
• lifestyle
• why you got into trouble

You will then both agree upon a plan of work to be undertaken during the course of your intervention/order.

We operate a 'child-first approach', which means you will be treated as a child first and not an offender.

We aim to develop and work on your strengths in order for you to fulfil your potential.

As children get older and become more independent, the relationship with their parents can deteriorate. Parents can lose confidence in their ability to parent their child.

Lack of firm boundaries and appropriate discipline may lead to children:

• refusing to go to school
• displaying anti-social behaviour
• getting involved in criminal activities
• misusing drugs/alcohol

In some instances, this can lead to parents having to deal with the legal system, leaving them feeling confused and angry.

How we work with parents

The Haringey YJS parent support service works with parents in 3 ways, listed below.

1. Voluntarily

Many parents want and may even ask for support. The YJS may work with parents on a voluntary basis without using a contract or order. We also offer parent drop-in sessions where you can raise any issues/concerns directly with managers.

You can also access our range of courses which offer parents support on a range of issues to help.

2. Parenting contract

Entering into a parenting contract means agreeing the support offered by the YJS. The contract is drawn up between the parent/carer and the YJS and is signed by both parties. It is not compulsory, but refusal to engage when need for support or guidance has been recognised could be used as evidence in Court when applying for a Parenting Order.

3. Parenting Order

If the parent is unwilling to cooperate, but the need for support has been assessed, the YJS can apply for or recommend a Parenting Order from the Court.

What support can we offer?

The YJS can offer support and guidance in a number of practical ways:

• Family Group Conferencing
• Early help support
• Parenting support groups
• FFT parent portal – resources for parents
• Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST)