Restorative Support and Victim Service

The Restorative Practice Team is embedded within Birmingham Youth Justice Service. Restorative Support Specialists work directly with both victims of youth crime and those children responsible for the harm caused. The service is a statutory offer and we support the Victims Code of Practice which details the Rights of Victims.

How can we help?

This is a free service. We are committed to supporting those affected by youth crime and can work with consenting victims where a child has an outcome from court or an out-of-court disposal. We will listen to you and tailor our support to your needs. There are many ways that we can help you and we will work with you to ensure you understand your rights and the support available to you.

Examples of how we can support are:

Signposting and referring you to appropriate support services.
Updating you on the child's progress throughout the youth justice process and their order.
Informing you and exploring Restorative Justice for you and your immediate support network.
Representing your views and safety needs at Youth Justice Meetings.
Supporting you within the compensation process.
Liaising with external agencies (the police, your GP, your workplace) on your behalf, where appropriate.

Young victims

If you are 16 years old or under we will need permission from your parent or caregiver in order to work with you.

We can offer all of the support above, and victims who are under the age of 18 can also work alongside Birmingham Youth Justice Service partners and participate in support offers and activities if they want to.

These include:

The music studio
Boxing
Cooking skills
Gardening skills
Speech and language assessment
Mental health support
Drugs and alcohol advice and support
Woodwork and carpentry
Girls Empowerment team

Diversity is important to us

We are committed to supporting the needs of the diverse communities we serve. We can provide interpreters and information in alternative formats. If you have additional needs, please let us know so we can put the right support in place.

What is Restorative Justice?

Restorative Justice brings together those harmed by crime, and those responsible for the harm. This enables everyone affected by a particular incident to play a part in repairing the harm and finding a positive way forward. Restorative Justice gives those that have been harmed the chance to have their say, to get answers to their questions, and to move on with their lives. Restorative Justice also gives the person that caused harm an insight into the real impact of their behaviour, and an opportunity to make amends.

Types of Restorative Justice

Restorative conference – a planned meeting where the harmed person is able to ask the harmer questions in a safe venue.
Restorative shuttle – a Restorative Support Specialist will mediate messages back and forth between the harmer and the harmed.
Letters – a Restorative Support Specialist arranges for one or both parties to receive/ exchange letters.
Virtual – a Restorative Support Specialist can arrange for the harmer and harmed to talk online and will sit in with them.
Video message – a planned video message will be shared between the harmer and harmed.
Community reparation – a structured activity organised by the Youth Justice Service with the primary aim of repairing the effects of crime on communities.

The Process

A trained Restorative Support Specialist will arrange to meet with the person that has been harmed to talk about the impact of what has happened, the consequences this might have had, and what could be done to make things better. The person that has been harmed will be asked if they would like the facilitator to arrange a meeting, or some other type of communication, with the person who has caused the harm.

The facilitator will talk to the child that has caused harm about what happened, their understanding of the harm they have caused, and what they think they could do to make things better. The harmer will then be asked if they would like the opportunity to meet the person they have harmed, or to have some other type of communication with them.

Restorative Justice is a voluntary process that requires consent from both parties to proceed.

The Facilitator

Restorative Support Specialists undergo specialist training in restorative justice. They provide a completely confidential and impartial service, and their aim is to make the experience positive for everyone involved.

The Conference

If everyone agrees – that includes the harmed, the harmer and two trained facilitators – a face-to-face meeting, called a conference, will be arranged. The meeting will be guided by the Restorative Support Specialists, held in a safe place and probably last for up to an hour and a half.

In the meeting, everyone will get to have their say. Both the harmed and the harmer can have someone with them for support. A robust assessment of risk will have taken place prior to the meeting. Alternatively, if everyone agrees, the Restorative Support Specialist can arrange another type of communication between both parties.

What are the benefits of Restorative Justice?

Those that have been harmed often want to understand why the crime happened to them. They also want to play some part in the process of what happens to the person who committed the crime. Restorative Justice gives them the opportunity to tell the person that has committed the crime their thoughts and feelings about what happened. They can ask any questions they have and agree what the harmer could do to make things better.

Being involved in a restorative process can give you a chance to:

Have your say.
Explain to the person who harmed you, and family and friends, what the real impact and consequences of their behaviour has been on your life.
Get answers to questions.
Have the opportunity to move forward positively with your life.
Help to prevent the same thing happening to somebody else.

The harmer has the opportunity to listen to the person they have harmed and can answer any questions that person might have. They might apologise for what they have done, and can agree with the person they have harmed what they can do to personally make things better for them.

Feedback

Your views are important as it helps the service to think about what they do well, how they can improve and understand the impact of their support. Birmingham Youth Justice Service are committed to ensuring that the service they offer to people affected by youth crime is of the highest standard and meets the needs of those involved.

Privacy Statement

Birmingham Youth Justice Victim Support Privacy Notice

What do people who have experienced our service say?

“I can NOW move on with MY life and continue to achieve MY goals. If there are any other victims out there, they should consider this support which has been very helpful.”

“The support has been wonderful, very informative and helpful – Thank you”

“X explained the process, fed back and listened to me. I received a letter of apology which was an appropriate response to what happened. The whole process was useful, closed it off for us and shows us that there is support for the offender.”

“X was a good listener. I never felt pressured. She helped me to come to terms of what had happened. She went above and beyond, put me in touch with counsellors. There wasn’t anything extra she could have done. The consistency was lovely, despite what happened and waiting around to find out what was happening with the kid I knew X would keep me informed. I couldn’t fault her, I really couldn’t fault her. I felt sad when her support ended. I am on track now not scared anymore. I know where to go to for help.”

“I have received support beyond anything I could have hoped for including emotional support liaising with the officers in the cases on my behalf and help with what steps to take with paperwork I wanted support to fill in. The Birmingham youth offending service has been invaluable support for me and my family through this distressing time.”