“I would want to see young people working in here, that’s what I want to see…” How peer support opportunities in youth offending services can support a Child First, trauma-informed, and reparative model of practice for Youth Justice
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Spacey, Meghan and Thompson, Naomi. 2023. “I would want to see young people working in here, that’s what I want to see…” How peer support opportunities in youth offending services can support a Child First, trauma-informed, and reparative model of practice for Youth Justice. Safer Communities, 22(3), pp. 200-216. ISSN 1757-8043 [Article]
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Safer Communities accepted version.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial. Download (219kB) | Preview |
Abstract or Description
Purpose
This article explores how peer support can support a combined Child First, trauma-informed and restorative approach for youth justice. While other scholars have identified clashes between these approaches, particularly between Child First and restorative approaches, a focus on reparative practice with peers has been under-explored as a more child-centred model for reparation-focused work.
Design/methodology/approach
We draw on qualitative data from interviews and surveys undertaken with young people and parents/caregivers in a London youth offending service. The data was part of a broader mixed-methods study in the YOS that used observational methods alongside surveys and interviews to evaluate the effectiveness of its model of practice. Peer support emerged as a theme.
Findings
Participants expressed the desire to see young people working and volunteering in the YOS and felt this would help make it a safe and non-threatening space. Young people who had completed their time with the YOS saw themselves as roles models with the insight and skills to support others. These young people expressed a strong desire to work in the YOS and in some cases, to develop long-term careers in supporting young people.
Originality
Our research challenges the notion that young people who have been involved in crime struggle to empathise, providing rich examples of their empathic understanding for peers. Peer support opportunities could offer a reconceptualising of restorative practice that is Child First and trauma-informed. Such opportunities would benefit both the young people being supported and those offering support, building a co-produced approach that is directly informed by the expressed needs and desires of the young people.
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Item Type: |
Article |
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| Additional Information: |
'This author accepted manuscript is deposited under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC) licence. This means that anyone may distribute, adapt, and build upon the work for non-commercial purposes, subject to full attribution. If you wish to use this manuscript for commercial purposes, please contact permissions@emerald.com' |
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| Keywords: |
trauma-informed practice, Child First, restorative justice, youth offending, youth justice, peer support |
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| Item ID: |
33471 |
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| Date Deposited: |
15 May 2023 09:33 |
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| Last Modified: |
22 Jun 2023 14:29 |
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Peer Reviewed: |
Yes, this version has been peer-reviewed. |
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