Communities and Culture Committee

Call for Evidence

Inquiry into Youth Justice in Wales

Terms of Reference

The Communities and Culture Committee of the National Assembly for Wales is undertaking an inquiry into the experience of Welsh children in the secure estate.

Terms of Reference

The Communities and Culture Committee Inquiry into Youth Justice will focus on the experience of Welsh children in the secure estate and will:

• scrutinise the delivery of the Welsh Assembly Government’s policies in relation to children and young people in the secure estate;

• identify areas where there are particular problems in implementation and the delivery of positive outcomes for children and young people in the secure estate, including specific groups of children and young people;

• examine the extent to which the Welsh Assembly Government’s "rights based agenda”, in its support to children and young people, is delivered to children and young people in the secure estate;

• review use of custody and alternative measures to detention for children in conflict with the law;

• identify issues relevant to the debate on the devolution of the youth justice system to Wales as set out in the One Wales agreement;

• make evidence-based recommendations to the Welsh Assembly Government and others as necessary.

Issues to consider:

To assist with its inquiry, the Committee wishes to receive written evidence in relation to the experience of Welsh children in the secure estate, in particular on the following issues:

• What action should the Welsh Assembly Government take to improve the experience of Welsh children in secure estate?

• How effectively does the All Wales Youth Offending Strategy address issues to do with the secure estate?

• What particular problems are there in implementation and the delivery of support services for children and young people in the secure estate, including mental health provision, support for education and resettlement services?

• To what extent is the Welsh Assembly Government’s "rights based agenda”, in its support to children and young people, delivered to Welsh children in the secure estate?

• Do specific groups of children and young people need additional support eg BME groups, young people with a disability or learning impairment, Welsh speakers, young carers, and girls and young women?

• What further action is needed to reduce use of custody and to promote alternative measures to detention for children in conflict with the law?

• How effective are arrangements for implementation and the delivery of provisions that blend reserved and devolved functions?

• Should responsibility for the secure estate be devolved to Wales?

• Are there any specific recommendations you think should be considered as part of this inquiry?

Interested parties are invited to submit written evidence to the committee clerk at the address below, to arrive no later than Friday 29 May 2009.  If possible, please supply an electronic version by e-mail to the following address:  Community.Culture.Comm@Wales.gsi.gov.uk

Please indicate whether you would be interested in presenting your views to the Committee in person.

It is normal practice for the National Assembly to publish evidence provided to a committee. Consequently your response may appear in a report or in supplementary evidence to a report. You will, unless you request otherwise, be identified as the author of the evidence although the National Assembly will not publish any other information which it considers to be personal data.

You should be aware however that in the event of a request for information submitted under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, it may be necessary to disclose the information that you provide even though this has not been published.

If you are providing any information, other than personal data, which you feel is not suitable for public disclosure, or if you do not wish your identity, as author of the evidence, to be disclosed, this must be clearly identified, together with your reasons for wishing to withhold the material in question. The National Assembly will take this into account when publishing information or responding to requests for information.

Stefan Sanchez
Clerk
Communities and Culture Committee
National Assembly for Wales
Cardiff Bay
Cardifff  CF99 1NA
Telephone: 029 20 898164
Email: stefan.sanchez@wales.gsi.gov.uk