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Youth justice - action plan orders

What is an Action Plan Order?

An Action Plan Order is a Court Order which is made to help you to avoid further offending. The Order lasts for three months. This Order is supervised by a Youth Offending Team Worker who is there to advise, assist and befriend you and help to prevent you re-offending.

What does it mean?

It means you will be given:

  • Help in keeping out of further trouble with the law
  • Advice in areas in which you may be having problems, eg at home, school or work, with other people or with drugs
  • Support from your Youth Offending Team Worker who is there to see you regularly and listen to what you have to say

A detailed plan for what is going to be done during your Order will be agreed with you and your parents/carers. This is called an Action Plan.

What part do I play in the Order?

Under an Action Plan Order you will have to:

  • Keep your appointments with your Youth Offending Team Worker which will be twice a week. These appointments will usually be at the Youth Offending Team Office or at your home
  • Work with your Worker to look at why you offend and ways in which you can change your behaviour
  • Carry out any other things you have agreed to do
  • Act responsibly whilst undertaking the Action Plan Order and when attending for appointments
  • Keep to any additional requirements that have been agreed in your Action Plan Order

What else can I be asked to do?

Other conditions may be attached to your Order. These will be explained to you separately by your Youth Offending Team Worker.

Who will know I am on an Action Plan Order?

Under the Action Plan Order there will be times when your Youth Offending Team Worker will visit you at home and discuss your progress with your parents/carers.

It may also be helpful to talk to your school, youth club, or employer. You will be asked what you think about this before it happens.

What can go wrong?

If you do not co-operate with your Youth Offending Team Worker you will be taken back to Court for being in breach of the Action Plan Order.

If the breach is proved, the Court may then deal with you in some other way, such as:

  • Imposing a fine
  • Making an Attendance Centre Order
  • Making a Curfew Order
  • Re-sentence for the original offence

At the end of the Order

When it gave you the Order, the Court may have fixed a further hearing date and asked for another report to see whether there have been any problems and look at how well you have done. Parts of the Order could then be cancelled and other things could be included in it.