Action Plan Orders

Tameside Youth Offending Team

• What is an Action Plan Order?
• What is the aim of the Action Plan Order?
• What will the Youth Offender have to do?
• What will happen if the young person fails to co-operate?
• What do Parents/Guardians have to do?

What is an Action Plan Order?

An Action Plan is a way of dealing with young people between the ages of 10 and 17. It is a community sentence which is intended to offer an early opportunity for work and/or support to help prevent further offending.

An Action Plan lasts for three months from the date of the order being made.

What is the Aim of the Action Plan Order?

An Action Plan Order aims to:

• Prevent re-offending by ensuring that the young person complies with the requirements of an Action Plan, which will be designed to address the causes of such behaviour by requiring the young person to complete any number of specific tasks.
• Encourage the young person to take responsibility for their actions and to consider the wishes and feelings of victims of crime. It will also consider the need for 'reparation' (putting this right) to the victims.

What will the Young Offender Have to Do?

Specific requirements of an Action Plan Order may include:

• Participation in activities.
• Attendance at offence focused work groups.
• Attendance at an Attendance Centre.
• Staying away from specified places.
• Monitored school attendance.
• Reparation, either to the victim of the offence or to the community as a whole.
• Attendance at a review hearing at the Youth Court.

The Court can use a combination of any of the above elements to create an Action Plan for any individual. It may also choose to impose a Parenting Order on the parents of a young person subject to an Action Plan Order.

A responsible Officer will be appointed from the Youth Offending Team to supervise/co-ordinate the programme of work.

What Will Happen if the young Person Fails to Co-operate?

At most, two warnings within the period of the Order may be given before Breach Proceedings are taken.

Breach Proceedings will involve the young person being returned to Court. The Court may discharge the Order and re-sentence for the original offence.

Breach Proceedings can be taken at any stage of the Order (regardless of the length of time it has run) and without prior warning if the failure to comply is serious, such as an attempt to avoid its completion or serious misconduct.

What Do Parents/Guardians Have to Do?

Parents/Guardians should:

• Attend Court with the young person.
• Encourage the young person to appreciate fully the consequences of their offending behaviour.
• Ensure that the young person successfully completes the activities assigned to him/her.
• Co-operate with any Parenting Order that may be imposed.

Contact Information
Send us a Message	Youth Offending Team 31 Clarence Arcade Stamford Street Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 7PT  View local map
0161 342 7680
0161 342 7692