National award for Sunderland children in care initiative

A partnership to improve child care in Sunderland has been praised in a national award scheme.

A project involving Together for Children, The Youth Offending Service and Northumbria Police was commended at this year’s national Howard League Awards.

The partnership’s accolade recognised the success of its Joint Agency Protocol – which has successfully reduced the criminalisation of young people in residential care.

Together for Children delivers children’s services on behalf of Sunderland City

Council, which incorporates the youth offending service and four children’s homes that each care for up to six young people aged from 12 to 18.

The protocol is a collaboration with Northumbria Police and it has resulted in the amount of offending by children who have been looked after continuously for at least 12 months down from 16.1% in 2011/12 to 5.1% in 2017/18.

Sharon Willis, strategic service manager at Together for Children, said: “This is great recognition for our collaboration.

“Children living in our homes may have suffered trauma resulting in complex needs.

“To have partners who understand the triggers and trauma behind behaviours creates the opportunity for the repair of relationships and allows children to experience accountability and the process of “making things right” without unnecessary criminalisation."

Sunderland Youth Offending Service also advocate for restorative justice schemes whenever possible, which involve youths making reparation to victims and undertaking community work.