Youth Offending Service - a guide for parents and carers

We might ask you to be involved with our service if your child has:

• Got into trouble with the police or been arrested.
• Charged with a crime.
• Charged with a serious crime and gone to court.
• Found guilty of a crime and given a sentence by the court.

How we support you and your child will depend on the seriousness of what’s happened and what the outcome at court was for them.

The criminal justice system treats anyone under 18years old as a child. They are treated different from adults. The Youth Offending Service supports children, carers and families to understand what’s happened, what’s going on in your life that they might need help with, and how we can work together. We will always listen to children and families because they have a right to be heard.