RaMPS - Information on services

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Renfrewshire Council social work services introduced the RaMPS Service (Reparation and Mediation/Parent Support) in 2002. We work with young people throughout Renfrewshire who are involved in offending, and we aim to take action at an early stage while offering support to parents and carers where appropriate.

Our service has seen several developments since we were introduced. In line with the council’s youth justice strategy, we now provide our services on a number of levels according to the principle of 'minimum intervention'. This means that we apply restorative justice approaches at three levels - prevention, diversion and intervention - and provide the level of service we consider appropriate to bring about change.

Restorative justice brings victims, offenders and communities together to decide on a response to a particular crime.

A restorative justice framework supports all the work we carry out with young people who are referred to us. However, we need to look at the bigger picture to make sure we consider, in full, the needs of everyone involved.

• Prevention: Trained police officers will issue restorative justice warnings for young people aged 8 to 15 (and 16 to 17 year olds who are under supervision) who have committed one offence. This process involves warning the offender and dealing with the effect the offence has had on the person who was harmed, or on the community.
• Diversion: We look at the whole situation when young people are referred to the Reporter's department for early and minor offending. By following a restorative justice approach, this service deals with and challenges the offending behaviour of young people aged 8 to 16 (up to 18 years for supervision requirements). At this level, we aim to divert young people away from compulsory measures of care, prevent further involvement in more serious or persistent offending and increase parental responsibility.
  We also accept referrals from the Procurator Fiscal's department as part of social work services for young people aged 16 to 18 who are involved in the court system for early and minor offending.
• Intervention: We have introduced this level in line with Objective 4 of the National Standards which says that 'every victim of a young offender referred to the Reporter on offence grounds will have the opportunity to engage in a (restorative justice) scheme, where appropriate'.
  This now gives the Reporter or children's hearing the opportunity to ask for a restorative justice assessment for all young people who have been referred to us after committing an offence. We expect that young people who have been involved in more serious offences or have been involved with the social work department in the past may be referred at this stage.
  

Information on services

• Aims
• The Restorative Justice service’s conditions
• When the Restorative Justice service may not be appropriate

Aims
'Restorative justice' approaches are challenging to the young people concerned. They can benefit the young people, their victims and the wider community. The overall aim of restorative justice at both the diversionary and intervention levels is to give the young person the opportunity to:

• take responsibility for what they have done
• understand the consequences of their actions
• have the courage to face the people they have harmed
• choose to be part of the restorative justice process
• take steps to put right the harm they have done, and
• commit to not re-offending.

It also gives the person who has been harmed the opportunity to:

• gain some answers - ‘Why me?’ , ‘Will it happen again?’
• express how they feel
• have a say in what happens
• hear an apology
• have the harm put right, and
• begin to feel safe again.

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The Restorative Justice Service’s conditions
Restorative Justice Service – Who is it for?

• Young people between eight and 18.
• The young person must live in Renfrewshire.
• The Reporter or Procurator Fiscal must be satisfied there is enough evidence that the young person has committed an offence, and must refer them to our services.
• The young person must agree to work with services. This may include meeting the person who has been harmed, where appropriate, and their parent or carer must agree to this.
• We must believe that restorative justice is an appropriate way of meeting the young person’s needs and dealing with their offences.
• We will give the person who has been harmed the opportunity to take part. If this is not appropriate or the person who has been harmed chooses not to become involved, the young person will take part in a 'victim awareness' programme and may also be involved in a conference where another person may represent the person who has been harmed.
• The young person must not have other needs which could mean that the Restorative Justice Service is not suitable for them.
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When the Restorative Justice Service may not be appropriate
We will need to consider certain things at the referral stage. The following things may tell us that a referral is at this time not appropriate, or that certain aspects of restorative justice services may not apply.

• It is likely to be difficult to follow procedures because there were other people involved in the offence, or there were several other people harmed.
• The young person has drug- or alcohol-related problems.
• The young person has certain learning difficulties or mental-health issues.
• The young person who cannot understand the idea of restorative justice or understand and share the feelings of another person.
• The young person has a history of not cooperating with care agencies.
• There are major issues that appear to affect the everyday care offered to the young person.

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Contacts

email to: paisley.sw@renfrewshire.gov.uk

phone: 0141 842 4160

or write to us at:
RaMPS Service
Kelvin House
River Cart Walk
Paisley PA1 1YS

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