Civil Service in the news

Offering a guiding hand

Adele Ward works in policy support for the Regional Public Health Group for Yorkshire and the Humber. She also volunteers for 15 hours each week as an ‘appropriate adult’ with Leeds Youth Offending Service.

What is Leeds Youth Offending Service?

Each local authority in England and Wales has a Youth Offending Service (YOS). Leeds YOS is a multi–agency partnership consisting of social services, education, police, probation and health. We work with children and young people aged 10–17 and their families to prevent and challenge offending, encourage responsibility, develop victim empathy and reduce fear of crime in communities. Leeds YOS is one of the busiest in the country with a population of around 720,000, of which 75,000 are aged 10–17.

Why did you decide to get involved with Leeds YOS?

Ever since completing a diploma at Leeds Metropolitan University around health promotion I have known that I want to work with children and young people. I decided to gain some experience through voluntary work.

I chose to work with the Leeds YOS as there are different areas of voluntary work which suit different people’s needs and lifestyles. In addition they offer a support network to volunteers which includes quarterly newsletters, a couple of functions per year and a comprehensive training and development programme about understanding the health and social issues which affect children. This support network makes me feel more engaged with the organisation.

What does the ‘appropriate adult’ role involve?

Appropriate adults support young people while they are being questioned in the police station about alleged offences. There is a legal obligation under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) for an appropriate adult to be present during all interviews with juveniles to ensure their needs and rights are met and that the interview is conducted fairly. I cover Leeds city centre, working at the five main police stations: Bridewell, Pudsey, Stainbeck, Killingbeck and Weetwood.

When I receive a call (usually via social services) to say that an appropriate adult is needed, I then contact the officer in charge of the arrest and arrange a time for me to arrive at the station. Upon arrival I take some information from the police custody record about the youth. While in the custody suite I will liaise with police, solicitors and social workers to ensure that the PACE code C regulations for the offender are met.

I will then meet with the youth for about five minutes and explain who I am, who I work for and why I am there. I make sure that they fully understand why they have been arrested, explain to them about how the interview will work, ensure they understand the caution and also what their rights are. On occasions the youth will already be known to me as we will have met previously, so we just have a general chat.

While the interview is taking place, I observe and ensure that the youth understands the questions, does not feel badgered in any way and does not get upset. I can suspend the interview if the youth is becoming distressed or I feel that the conduct is inappropriate. After interview, depending on if the person is being charged or not, I may have to hang around to await the outcome of the case once it has been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service.

What are the challenges of the role?

The role is very challenging. From a practical point of view it is really interesting to see different organisations at work and how the police appreciate the place of volunteers working alongside them.

I do find at times that I feel upset for some of the individuals who have been arrested. Some of the offenders are living in a children’s home which is why they have no adult representative and sometimes they have admitted to me to committing the crime for attention. It does make me look at myself and my own upbringing and how the home comforts that I had were taken for granted.

It is also very challenging when you talk to some of the youths and they tell you that they want to be a ‘drug dealer’ when they leave school. It makes me realise the tough job it is for the YOS, police and the criminal justice system to try to change a youth’s perspective on how to lead a crime–free life.

You do three shifts of at least five hours a week. How do you manage to fit this into your life?

Each shift for the YOS lasts for five hours. Each shift can vary; sometimes I may not get called out or I can receive up to five calls a shift. You can never predict how long each call will take. Sometimes it can take 30 minutes, but I’ve also been the full five hours on one call.

I generally fit this in to 3x5 hour shifts per week. The evening shift is 5–10pm, so due to office hours it can be a bit of a rush for me. I sometimes work 1–10pm every other weekend. It does not stop me from doing things; I just have to make sure I carry my phone around with me and keep my information folder in the car.

What kind of a difference do you think you and Leeds YOS make?

I have only seen a small amount of the work of the Leeds YOS. There are a range of interventions that are run by YOS staff or in partnership with other agencies that help children change their behaviour.

As my role as an appropriate adult for first–time offenders I am their first (and hopefully only) introduction to the Youth Offending Service. Therefore, it is important that I outline the support function of the YOS and how we are there to help. In addition to this I do believe that it helps make a difference to the police as well. They are very appreciative of the appropriate adults and the role we play.

Does your voluntary work affect your work, in terms of outlook, knowledge and skills?

Yes, it has given me a great insight into how partnership working can make a difference in an individual’s life and outlook. It has given me better knowledge of the work of the criminal justice system.

I do feel that it has changed my outlook on some of the social pressures facing young people in relation to committing crime, and I do feel that I have a better understanding of peer pressure. Voluntary work does impact on my work outlook and it is helping me to develop core skills in understanding the complexities and sensitivities of working with children and young people.