Northamptonshire Youth Offending Service Covid 19 Response.

Northamptonshire Youth Offending Service is identified as a Key Service. We are constantly monitoring the Government guidance for local Authorities on Children’s Social Care Guidance for employers and businesses on coronavirus (COVID-19). We are also operating in accordance with the Ministry of Justice and Youth Justice Board advice.

It is a time of severe pressure across society, which we know will present heightened levels of risk for some children and young people, so it is especially important that these children and young people continue to receive the services and support they need.

Although there are changes with how all our day to day lives look, we want to explain what this means for the way Northamptonshire Youth Offending Service is responding in supporting children and young people we work with. We are committed to supporting children, young people and victims we work with.  This means the Youth Offending Service will continue to book appointments to make sure we can complete the targets agreed within court orders and out of court intervention packages.

NYOS management ensures that all referrals received from the Courts or the police are carefully assessed by YOS staff to ensure that we are prioritising those in most need of support. Everyone involved in promoting the welfare, protection and care of children and young people is working extremely hard in the face of unprecedented challenges to provide the right level of support. Staff will continue to provide weekly contact and interventions with children, young people and families via phone calls and video links, for those assessed as requiring face to face contacts these will be offered in two ways; home visits and/or office visits.

If children and young people receive visits at home, we have made plans to keep them, those they live with and Youth Offending Service Staff safe. These plans are explained below:

• Youth Offending Service Staff will maintain a 2 metre distance from any person within the home throughout the session. This is what is being called “social distancing”.
• Youth Offending Service Staff are committed to maintaining personal hygiene and will complete hand washing and cleaning before and after your appointment. All staff have access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 

If you do not feel comfortable with staff entering your home for your appointment, you will be asked to come to the Northampton Youth Offending Service Office. The Kettering Youth Offending Service Office is only open one day a week (Wednesday) so staff in this office are limited, as most have been moved over to Northampton. Again, plans have been put in place to keep you safe and these are explained below:

• Visitors will be able to use hand sanitizer before entering an appointment and on leaving the office. Youth Offending Service staff will also follow this process.
• Youth Offending Service Staff will maintain a 2 metre distance from you and any person within the office throughout the session. This is what is being called “social distancing”.
• Young People will be taken to an appointment room by a staff member who will open and close all doors.

If you still have concerns around how we are adapting practice to keep people safe please contact the  allocated Case Manager to discuss this further or contact us through this website. info@n-yos.org.uk