Better future for troubled young people

Monday 21st December 2009, 2:29PM GMT.

Children’s tribunal president Roger Allsopp, convener Karen Brady and vice-president David Raines outside its home, the former Orchard Centre in St Martin’s. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 0891794)

A CHILDREN’S tribunal that gets going next month should improve young people’s chances in life, according to convener Karen Brady.

She said the Child, Youth and Community Tribunal, which will be based at Briarwood, St Martin’s, also hoped to reduce offending.

‘It’s about decision-making by members of the community.

‘We will look at all the issues in a child’s life, not just the problem, to see what they can do to improve that situation,’ she said.

The CYCT is independent and made up of volunteers who have received intensive training.

A child or young person under 18 will be referred to the tribunal for compulsory intervention.

Reasons that young people might be referred include not attending school, misusing drugs or alcohol, violent or destructive behaviour or abuse or neglect by the people responsible for them.

Mrs Brady said it was about changing behaviour, whether that was the parent’s or the child’s.