Wales Youth Justice Advisory Panel: 20 October 2025

Attendees in person                      

• Mike Connolly (co Chair) (MC), Welsh Government (CSD)
• Karin Phillips (co-Chair (KP), Youth Justice Board Member
• Mark Cox (MC), Youth Justice Board
• Paula Williams (PW), Youth Justice Board
• Sasha Yilmaz (SY), Welsh Government (CSD)
• Lynzi Jarman (LJ), Welsh Government (JPD)
• Surinder Randhawa (SR), HMCTS
• Tim Melville (TM), Youth Magistrates
• Louise Lawrence (LL), HMPPS
• James Gerard (JG), Welsh Government (JPD)
• Tom Cartwright (TC), Welsh Government (KAS)
• Christine Harley (CH), HMPPS
• Jamie Williams (JW), HMYOI Parc, seconded to Youth Custody Service 

Attending on TEAMS

• Darren Trollope (DT), Youth Justice Board
• Andrea Brazier (AB), HMIP
• Michelle Davies (MD), Health Board representative
• Rhian Hills-Moss (RHM), Welsh Government (Health)
• Martyn Gunter (MG), Welsh Government (Education)
• Stephanie Roberts-Bibby (SRB), Youth Justice Board
• Kirsty Davies (KD), YOT Managers Cymru (YMC)
• Paul Morris (PM), Police Liaison Unit (PLU)
• Rachel Morgan (RM), Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
• Stephen Wood (SW), YOT Managers Cymru (YMC)
• Jay McCabe (JM), YOT Managers Cymru (YMC)
• Gill Adams (GA), YOT Managers Cymru (YMC)
• Eleri Thomas (ET), Deputy PCC Gwent
• Alan Webster (AW), Ministry of Justice
• DCC Nicola Brain (NB), Gwent Police
• Mark Brace (MB), Safer Communities Network
• James Warr (JW), YOT Managers Cymru
• Rocio Cifuentes (RC), Children’s Commissioner for Wales
• Katie Hughes (KH), Ministry of Justice
• Dafydd Llywelyn (DLl), PCC Dyfed Powys
• Gwen James (GJ), Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
• Kate Williams (KW), Academic representative 

Apologies 

• Stephen Vickers, Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE)
• Daniel Jones, Wales Violence Prevention Unit (VPU)
• Lucy Peates, HMPPS
• Alison Lott, Welsh Government (CSD)
• Sarah Day, Association of Directors of Social Services Cymru (ADSS)
• James White, The Association of Directors of Education in Wales (ADEW)

All actions to be completed as soon as possible but no later than 30 November 2025 unless other date indicated.

• Action point 1: on completion secretariat to circulate Blueprint Review paper, created by YJB as project lead to panel. (Lead: Secretariat)
• Action point 2: the challenge questions included in the bi-annual whole system approach to be included as part of the bi-annual departmental update document. (Lead: YJB)
• Action point 3: Panel to submit feedback on the whole system approach presentation and suggest improvements for future presentations. (Lead: all)
• Action point 4: the following themes to be considered as future agenda items, assessing the impacts of:
  • increasing social and political polarisation of young people
  • domestic violence on young people (Lead: Mike Connolly/Karin Phillips)
• Action point 5 : the published HMIP Thematic report ‘The effectiveness of diverting children from the criminal justice system: meeting needs, ensuring safety, and preventing reoffending’ to be shared with the Panel. (Lead: Secretariat)
• Action point 6: MG requested Panel to share ‘keep safe online’ webpage with relevant stakeholders (Lead: Secretariat)
• Action point 7: on completion the WYJAP strategic priority education table to be shared with Panel. (Lead: Secretariat)
• Action point 8: Panel to send health topic suggestions to the secretariat by 28 November. (Lead: all)
• Action point 9: Miller Research to engage with stakeholders and provide interim findings at a future meeting. (Lead: Miller Research- Nick Morgan / Secretariat)
• Action point 10: Secretariat to share Welsh Justice Research programme presentation. (Lead: Secretariat)
• Action point 11: Ministry of Justice Grant funding update to be added to a future agenda. (Lead: Secretariat)
• Action point 12: Secretariat to publish approved WYJAP minutes of 14 July 2025 meeting on Welsh Government website. (Lead: Secretariat)
• Action point 13: consideration to be given by co-chairs on the format and duration of future meetings. (Lead: Mike Connolly/Karin Phillips)

MC welcomed members to the meeting of the Wales Youth Justice Advisory Panel (WYJAP).

MC advised members the meeting was going to be recorded and to raise a hand if there were any objections. There were no objections.

MC welcomed new members Andrea Braizer, Head of Youth Inspection Programme, HMI Probation. Jamie Williams, Youth Custody Service and Tim Melville, Youth Court representative. 

MC Welcomed guests Nick Morgan from Miller Research UK. Martyn Gunter, Tom Cartwright and Rhian Moss-Hill from Welsh Government. 

Apologies were noted.

SY highlighted as of April 2025 the Youth Justice Blueprint transitioned to business as usual. The ambition is to commission a review of the Blueprint, to build on the existing framework and continue to embed best practice. An options paper, setting out potential approaches to conduct this review, has been shared with relevant stakeholders for comment. 

DT explained given the YJB’s project management role in the Blueprint, he had drafted a lessons learned paper which included the workstream closure reports and the survey completed by partners. The emerging lessons learned included the need for sufficient resources, strong buy-in, clear communication, and boundaries between change work and business as usual. Achievements included the development of trauma-informed practice in the community and custody, Constructive Resettlement approaches embedded across Wales and the publication of the Welsh Government’s prevention framework.  

Moving forward the YJB will continue their oversight of the youth justice services to understand the needs of the children in the system and the work related to the consistency of approaches for Out of Court Disposals (OoCD) across Wales. 

SRB questioned if the intention was to share the lessons learned paper with the Panel and if there was reference to devolution within it. DT replied that while devolution was not included, there was potential to include the key learning of a large-scale change programme. LJ added the report demonstrated Wales’s distinct approach to youth justice and highlighted the strengths of an existing system and how to build and learn, which would help inform the work devolution of youth justice to Wales. MC confirmed the Blueprint lessons learned paper would be shared with the Panel. 

Action point 1: on completion secretariat to circulate Blueprint Review paper, created by YJB as project lead to panel.

DT presented a system analysis using YJB data, oversight intelligence and departmental updates from the Panel. 

Key findings included:

• Increased trends in care and support needs, persistent absence and exclusions, but improvements in 16 to 18 Education Training and Employment (ETE) rates.
• Improved school attendance, reduced numbers of children living in poverty.
• Increased stop and search rates (except Gwent), arrests and cautions, but fewer first-time entrants due to strong pre-court diversion.
• Disproportionality in outcomes by ethnicity remained a concern, though numbers are small.
• Custody numbers remained low, with most children placed close to home.
• Re-offending rates had increased among a smaller cohort, likely to be due to diversion of lower-risk children. 

Strengths:

• Strong pre-court diversion, low custody rates, collaborative culture.

Weaknesses/threats:

• Inconsistent police engagement, rising school exclusions, delays in police decision-making, funding uncertainties, staffing gaps.
• Need for consistent trauma-informed practice and challenges in court processes.

Opportunities:

• Work to bring consistency to OoCD, Welsh Government prevention framework, new Youth Justice Charter and stronger links with the Criminal Justice Board.

DT posed questions as to how the Panel could address the issues raised to maximise the opportunities to improve the systems or outcomes for children in Wales. 

Feedback from the Panel included:

• Consideration to be given to the work related to Violence Against Women Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) Blueprint.
• To monitor the increased number of Care Experienced Children as the figures represented the children within the youth justice system and numbers could increase due to children returning to home local authority following being in a placement in England.
• Request for comparison of general population age between 10 to 17 within the First Time Entrants (FTE) ethnicity table to identify disproportionality.
• Consideration be given to other outcomes not solely Outcome 22.
• Request for challenge questions within the whole system analysis presentation to be included in the WYJAP departmental bi-annual update.
• More in-depth detail regarding stop and search and cautions, assessing whether there are any themes or underlying reasons.
• Information relating to victims or children that were victims themselves and victims of their offending to be included in the bi-annual update.
• Potential to focus on 2 to 3 specific areas in future updates. 

RC highlighted the increased issues of social and political polarisation and that children and young people were impacted as victims, potential perpetrators and victims of misinformation. She questioned where we can include this as a focus these conversations. This was supported by the Panel. 

MC thanked the Panel for their contribution and requested further feedback on the presentation and suggestions for improvements. 

Action point 2: the challenge questions included in the bi-annual whole system approach to be included as part of the bi-annual departmental update document.

Action point 3: Panel to submit feedback on the whole system approach presentation and suggest improvements for future presentations. 

Action point 4: the following themes to be considered as future agenda items, assessing the impacts of: Increasing social and political polarisation of young people; and, Domestic violence on young people.

Partnership with policing 

DL advised the Panel since its last meeting the 2 working groups established to standardise OoCD approaches across Wales had met. He addressed the previous comment related to Police attendance at YJS Management Boards and confirmed there had been some improvement. 

The Panel were made aware of the published HMI Probation and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services Thematic report on the effectiveness of diverting children from the criminal justice system: meeting needs, ensuring safety, and preventing reoffending. He noted the recommendations within the report provided an opportunity to keep momentum on the work on OoCD. 

NB reported positive feedback from the recent Regional Child Centred Policing meeting. Key points from the meeting included aligning governance structures, focus on prevention and development of a data dashboard to align data of all 4 Police forces in Wales. 

KP thanked Policing colleagues for the positive progress made to date. She reinforced the importance of ensuring governance was correct at all levels within Policing across Wales. This included ensuring there was consistent Police representation at Youth Justice Services Management Boards of a strategic level. 

In response AW offered to link with Policing leads in Wales to discuss and progress the recommendations within the thematic report.

SW queried if there was representation from the youth justice service on the Police Practice Review workstream. He expressed their participation would ensure the support was provided within a child centred and trauma informed way. ET agreed to join up with SW to ensure alignment.

Action point 5: the published HMIP Thematic report the effectiveness of diverting children from the criminal justice system: meeting needs, ensuring safety, and preventing reoffending to be shared with the Panel. 

Partnership with Education 

MG provided an update since his attendance at the last meeting. Key points included:

• There had been positive trends in school attendance.
• The Cabinet Secretary for Education planned to make an update on the work of the Detentions and Exclusions Forum and the Mobile Phone Forum.
• Revision of the behaviour guidance was underway and would welcome input from the Panel once developed further.
• Work was progressing on a Pan-Wales weapons and schools protocol.
• The Cabinet Secretary for Education was keen to formalise police-school relationships, discussions had taken place with policing partners.

MG asked the Panel to share the link to keep safe online section of the Hwb platform with their stakeholders. 

In reference to action point 4 from the meeting of 14 July, to produce a synopsis of youth justice issues, while work had been developed on this SW requested additional time to populate the more information prior to sharing with the Panel. 

Action point 6: MG requested Panel to share ‘keep safe online’ webpage with relevant stakeholders.

Action point 7: on completion the WYJAP strategic priority education table to be shared with Panel.

Partnership with Health 

MC advised the next meeting of WYJAP planned for January would focus on health. Panel members were asked to submit health-related issues for discussion, such as speech, language, communication needs, mental health, and neurodiversity to the secretariat by the end of November.  

Action point 8: Panel members to send health topic suggestions for consideration for the January meeting to the secretariat by end of November. 

JG provided an update on the ongoing work in relation to the UK Government commitment to explore devolution of youth justice to Wales. Following the Deputy First Minister meeting with the Lord Chancellor it had been agreed that officials in both governments would work together to explore options where responsibilities in the youth justice system could be realigned. This included strategic oversight, partnership and governance arrangements and funding of youth justice services as starting points.

NW presented on the Welsh Justice Research programme key points:

• The first research would predominantly focus on youth justice funding and youth justice capacity and capability.
• High level research questions were developed into comprehensive research frameworks, iterated between Welsh Government and the consortium.
• Some resource had been set aside for additional research areas that may arise in Year One.
• Report on findings due between March and May 2026. 

NW suggested colleagues may be in contact with members of the Panel and agreed to report back interim findings at a future meeting. 

Action point 9: Miller Research to engage with stakeholders and provide interim findings at a future meeting. 

Action point 10: secretariat to share Welsh Justice Research programme presentation.

This update has been provided MoJ following the meeting. It was agreed that this agenda item will be covered at the next meeting.

MoJ (with support from YJB) held a series of focus groups in August and September with sector representatives, Heads of Service and Chairs of Management boards to discuss a new potential funding formula to distribute MoJ funding to YOTs. Some concerns were expressed during these sessions regarding the factors included in the design of the proposed formula and the potential impact on services that may see a reduction in funding because of any change. YMC and the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip have also written to Ministers to voice concerns around the potential new funding formula and the impact on Welsh YOTs.

Following the focus group, we recognised that there is some confusion around the use of FTE in the formula. We therefore wrote to all attendees of the sessions to clarify that the rate of FTE’s would not determine how much funding a YOT would receive. FTE was only used as part of the process to identify what factors could provide a more representative way of understanding the unavoidable variation in level of need for youth justice services. Alan Webster (Deputy Director for Youth Justice Policy) also wrote to YMC in response to the concerns they raised with Minister Dakin (letter to be shared with WYJAP).

MoJ have also been considering the consolidation of the YOT core grant for English YOTs into a wider children’s pot as part of MHCLG’s drive to streamline local authority funding. 

Ministers are yet to decide on both grant consolidation and the funding formula and we will update the sector pending the outcome of ministerial decisions.

Action point 11: Ministry of Justice Grant funding update to be added to a future agenda.

The Panel agreed the minutes of the previous meeting to be a true and accurate record. Actions were noted. 

MC informed the Panel the minutes would be published on the Welsh Government website. 

Action point 12: secretariat to publish approved WYJAP minutes of 14 July 2025 on Welsh Government website. 

MC advised the next meeting of WYJAP was scheduled for 26 January 2026 at 13:00, with a working lunch option available. 

TM suggested to extend meeting duration to allow for more in-depth discussion. MC agreed to consider the option. 

The closing remark was made by SW for consideration by the Panel. How will devolution better improve outcomes for children and young people rather than a just a change of responsibility. 

Action point 13: consideration to be given by co-chairs on the format and duration of future meetings.