Date published: 2026-11-04 | Category: Children's Services, Focusing on prevention, public safety
A new plan that will continue to make communities safer and prevent offending will be considered by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Cabinet next week (November 12).
The Youth Justice Plan 2026/27 is a partnership commitment to preventing and reducing young people entering the criminal justice system. It aims to ensure partners will work together on four priorities: to reduce disproportionality, enhance work with victims, further embed Child First principles and reduce serious violence.
Figures revealed in the plan show a 44.4% reduction in first-time entrants to the criminal justice system, which is lower than regional and national averages. Reoffending rates are also low at 11.8% and custody remains rare, with one custodial sentence in 2025.
In instances where intervention has been needed to support children or divert them away from crime, 100% of the accommodation, education, training and employment arranged was suitable.
All children with identified learning needs had a formal plan in place to support them. The Youth Justice Plan shows that during 2024/25, 66% of school-aged children supported by the Youth Justice Service had special educational needs.
The service also carries out prevention works in communities and schools through its Compass service bringing early support to children at risk of harmful behaviour, alongside tackling child exploitation.
In October 2024, an inspection of Bath and North East Somerset’s Youth Justice Service found it to be Good overall, with three areas rated Outstanding and one area requiring improvement.
Councillor Paul May, cabinet member for Children’s Services, said: “It is very encouraging to see fewer children entering the justice system for the first time and reoffending remaining well below regional and national levels.
“Our focus is on intervening early, understanding what is happening in a child’s life and providing the right support before problems escalate. By working closely across education, health, policing, safeguarding and family support, we can help achieve better outcomes for children and families, while reducing offending and the number of victims.
“The Youth Justice Service was rated Good at its last independent inspection, but we are not complacent and will continue working to improve.”
The plan also strengthens work with victims and action to reduce serious violence, including weapons-awareness interventions and partnership response to concerns about knife crime.
The Youth Justice Service is a multi-agency team of professionals from the council, Avon & Somerset Police, the National Probation Service and Bath and North East Somerset Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board.
ENDS