Would you like to have your say about your relationship and engagement with multi-agencies including the police and social services? Do you think your opinion should be heard to address barriers and improve communication?

If so, YOU are invited to participate in a discussion to explore the relationships and possible barriers between multi-agencies, young people and their families.

We are passionate about the work that we do with young people as youth re-offending rates remain high with about a fifth of Lambeth’s population aged 20 or under and first time entrants to the criminal justice system on the increase. Specifically gang related violence, sexual and drug related crime is persistent and problematic. Lambeth is one of the riskiest places for teenage males (15 to 19) becoming a victim of crime, with racist and homophobic offences on the increase. The National Domestic Violence Helpline reports that calls received from Lambeth residents is the third highest in London, and it is the highest ranking borough for reported ‘Most Serious Violence against Women’. [1]

Offending Roundtable Event

This interactive roundtable event will concentrate on developing strategies that address the many barriers and challenges that prevent effective engagement between young people, their families/ guardians, multi-agencies and statutory services. It will allow participants the opportunity to freely talk with each other about perceptions, fears, attitudes and ideas for current and future working practices and how we can positively develop relationships with disengaged young people and their families/ guardians.

Many of you have already discussed the importance of clear communication and transparency, therefore we will be identifying common barriers to engagement between families/ guardians, young people and agencies, looking at ideas to collaboratively deepen engagement and support each other towards better results for our young people.This session aims to:

- Critically review and evaluate your experience of the lines of communication/various approaches of statutory services and multi-agencies and how to promote better engagement for young people and their families/ guardians.

- Explore your experience of how statutory services and multi-agencies support families/guardians to help keep their children away from offending behaviour and negative peer groups.

- Find out any coping strategies adopted by families and whether agencies relieve or add stress and anxiety to young people and family members/ guardians.

- Critically review information sharing and decision-making in complex situations and how this has been communicated with you the family/ guardians and in turn, the young people.

Who should attend?

• Parents/ Carers
• Guardians
• Young people
• Extended Families