KCYS
KCYS Youth Diversion Project
This project is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union
Youth Justice work involves working with young people involved in, or at risk of being involved in, crime and anti-social behaviour to help them make positive life choices. Youth Diversion Projects are community-based, multi-agency youth crime prevention initiatives which primarily seek to divert young people who have been involved in or at a risk of being involved in anti-social and/or criminal behaviour by providing suitable activities to facilitate personal development, promote civic responsibility and improve long term employability prospects.
KCYS YDP consists of 16 Youth Justice Workers and 1 Co-ordinator. KCYS partners with An Garda Siochana and the Department of Justice to ensure this service is available for all eligible young people in the Kerry Garda Division. The KCYS YDP works with young people across Kerry, youth justice workers engage with young people individually, either in the home, school or community setting – depending on where suits the young person. Youth justice workers advocate for the young people and liaise with other agencies in the young person’s life to support engagement in appropriate support services. The YDP is primarily targeted at 12–17-year-old “at risk” youths in communities where a specific need has been identified. The objectives of the YDP are to:
1. Promote focused and effective interventions to challenge and divert young people from offending behaviour
2. Utilise YDP resources in areas of greatest need and to establish effective crime prevention supports in co-operation with other youth service providers nationwide
3. Actively promote crime prevention policy through focussed educational interventions influencing positive development of young people towards becoming responsible citizen
KCYS Early Intervention
Early Intervention programme is part of the KCYS Youth Diversion Poject but specifically works with young people between the ages of 6-11. Much of this work is done within the local community with a range of partners, for example, Social Services, voluntary organisations, etc., to provide support to young people who may be at risk of offending, and to their families.
The aim of Early Intervention work in YDP capacity to engage with children who have been identified by Youth Justice Workers, JLO’s, Community Gardsi or by others working in the community, as being at serious risk of becoming involved in crime or anti-social behaviour but are below the age of criminal responsibility. The objective is to work with these children, to promote pro-social behaviour and guide the young person to make positive life choices, including an emphasis on school attendance and performance and extra-curricular course with a pro-social focus. The work also includes engagement with the child’s family, providing support and tools to assist parents in dealing with their child’s behaviour. Consultation and coordination with other appropriate agencies, on work with this cohort is important and is completed to avoid unnecessary duplication.
Following research, a specific intervention for this age group was developed. A number of different approaches are utilised within the work, depending on the young person’s need i.e., Trauma Informed approach, Motivational Interviewing, Restorative Practices and Dialectic Behavioural Therapy. These address the reasons behind the young person’s problem behaviour. The programme operates by a referral system and young people are screened to assess suitability for the service.
Court Accompaniment
The KCYS YDP Court Accompaniment pilot project emerged from the need to support children in the criminal justice system. These young people are vulnerable by virtue of their age, it must be considered also, children presenting before the court may experience further vulnerabilities in terms of neurodiversity / learning difficulties / cognitive challenges. KCYS Youth Diversion Project is proud to be one of the first in the country to pilot this service
The Department of Justice, in collaboration with the Central Criminal Court, NGOs, and the Ombudsman for Children, helped create the Court Accompaniment Service, which is facilitated through Youth Diversion Projects. The Court Accompaniment Worker is not a legal representative but acts as a supportive companion for young people. Some of the services offered include:
1. Preparing the young person for court appearances
2. Helping them engage with their solicitor
3. Ensuring they understand legal processes in accessible language
4. Familiarising them with the court layout and personnel
5. Supporting them in understanding their behaviour and encouraging positive change
6. Assisting in adhering to court orders, such as restorative justice procedures
7. Guiding engagement with Probation Services
8. Providing information to young people, parents, and professionals
This initiative reflects the principles of the Children’s Act and Youth Justice Strategy, aiming to provide young people with the necessary support and a path toward positive outcomes. KCYS YDP will work with the University of Limerick Research Evidence into Policy, Programmes and Practice team to co-design an action research appraoch to the pilot phase of this project.
Family Support
The YDP Family Support Service provides support for the families of those involved in the KCYS YDP with the aim of supporting parents, guardians and family members to engage effectively with the young person to facilitate positive behaviour change in the home and community.
Some of the services offered include:
- Engaging parents of the YDP participants in a process of learning and development that will enable them to examine their own and their child’s behaviours and aid them to support their child to make positive lifestyle choices that will protect them from involvement in criminal, harmful or socially unacceptable behaviours.
- Identifying, designing, implementing and evaluating effective parenting and parent/ child interventions and supports.
- Enlisting the support of parents, family members, community groups and other agencies to enhance the support and development opportunities for young people
