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4. Delivering on this Framework

Building on progress

4.1 In setting out how we will drive forward this agenda, it is important to acknowledge and build on the significant progress that has been made in recent years by local and national agencies, including the third sector, and communities. This is recognised in the Auditor General for Scotland's report - Dealing with offending by young people (August 2007) ⁷:

"More services for young people who offend are now in place."

"Significant improvements have been made in the timeliness of police reporting and children's reporter decision-making."

"National standards are in place and provide a focus for improved inter-agency working."

A number of areas of work, already completed or underway, will collectively support implementation of this Framework:

• Getting it right for every child provides the framework within which all services will deliver a personalised, effective response to young people. In bringing together Getting it right for every child and Curriculum for Excellence we are working to improve the delivery of opportunities and support to all young people, identify priorities and gaps and working to fill them; promote awareness and understanding of the rights of children and young people; encourage and support professionals to take individual responsibility for ensuring the best outcomes for all young people; and ensure young people at risk can access the support and opportunities they need.
• Through our Early Years Framework (pre-birth to 8 years old) we aim to give children the best start in life and equip them with the resilience and skills to navigate a range of challenges that will face them in adolescence and beyond.
• We are implementing Curriculum for Excellence, which aims to provide a seamless package of learning activities in or out of school to enable children and young people to become successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.
• We are committed to improving outcomes for all looked after children of all ages. The work being undertaken through the actions outlined in Looked After Children and Young People: We Can and Must Do Better ⁸ will support reducing youth offending in the looked after population.
• We are working towards all young people being able to benefit from positive opportunities which make a real difference to their lives through, for example, Cashback for Communities, the Youth Framework, and our investment in the national Youth Music Initiative and the Bookstart scheme for pre-school children and their carers.
• We are reforming the Children's Hearings System to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its work in protecting and improving outcomes for vulnerable children and young people
• We have developed a set of national guidelines that can be adopted by agencies who work with children and young people on the principles, protocols and criteria for the use of Restorative Justice Services in Scotland.
• We are deploying Intensive Support and Monitoring ( ISM) to meet the needs of high-risk young people safely within their communities, with the powers now available across Scotland.
• We are implementing guidance and training to tackle high risk young people.
• We are improving the sharing of information about young people between the children's hearing and adult justice system to improve outcomes for individuals and communities.
• We will continue to prioritise More Choices, More Chances; supporting the momentum generated by local partnerships - operating in every local authority in Scotland and comprising representatives from a wide range of public agencies, together with the third and private sectors - that are delivering it.
• Through Skills for Scotland we will deliver effective, integrated, learning, skills and employment provision for young people who are in or leaving the justice system.
• We are supporting a thriving and effective third sector, as set out in Scottish Government's Enterprising Third Sector Action Plan.

Moving forward

4.2 This framework sets a shared direction for driving forward work to tackle offending by young people. This will ensure that our collective effort is focused on the agreed objectives. Achieving these will require a clear focus on joint working, consistent decision making and improved effectiveness and availability of provision. As national bodies, we will seek to support local agencies to improve practice and act as enablers to ensure consistent delivery of this agenda across the country.

4.3 The third sector brings particular skills and experience to this agenda in terms of engaging with and championing children, young people, families and communities. It is a key partner, at a national and local level, in shaping and delivering services. The new arrangements under the Concordat present new challenges and opportunities for third sector organisations. We are committed as statutory organisations to supporting a strong role for the third sector in implementing this framework going forward.

4.4 We need a governance structure for delivery against the framework which ensures drive, consistency and accountability without diverting effort onto process rather than action. Accordingly, we propose that responsibility at a national level for taking delivery of the framework forward will be rest with a group comprising representation from of all of the partners. The group will be responsible for:

• Ensuring progress in delivery of the framework.
• Identifying and managing risks and issues.
• Proactive and joint problem solving.
• Committing resources to support delivery.
• Making appropriate links to other national policies and agendas.
• Monitoring progress against the National Performance Framework as it relates to this agenda.
• Being accountable.

What will success look like?

4.5 This Framework encourages new ways of working that aim to ensure agencies can provide children and young people who offend or behave badly with the help they need to turn their lives around and ensure long term benefits for these children and young people and the communities in which they live. We are asking that everyone who comes into contact with children and young people in Scotland, as a parent, a family member, a community member or in a professional capacity takes personal responsibility to act as a positive role model and to help and support young people to develop into adults who make a positive contribution to society.

4.6 The success of our efforts to tackle offending by young people will be shown in the positive outcomes of all our children, families and communities, contributing in turn to a more successful country. In particular, our success will be measured in the achievement of the following four outcomes from the National Performance Framework:

• Our children have the best start in life and are ready to succeed.
• Our young people are successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.
• We have improved life chances for children, young people and families at risk.
• We live our lives safe from crime, disorder and danger.

4.7 Ultimately, we all know what success looks like. We will see it in the faces of Scotland's children and young people, when each one of them is enjoying realising their full potential, supported by nurturing families within safe and friendly communities. Our ambition is no less than that, and with this framework we are committing together to do our part to ensure that vision is realised.

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