Cumberland Youth Justice Service

Working with children and young people who have committed an offence or identified as being at risk of doing so.

We support children and young people, aged 10 to 18 years, who are at risk of offending or have committed a crime. Our aim is to help them build safe, healthy and positive futures.

We use a child-first, restorative, and trauma-informed approach. This means we focus on understanding each child’s needs, helping them take responsibility, and reducing harm to victims and communities.

What we do

We work directly with:

  • children and young people
  • families and carers
  • victims of crime
  • professionals in the youth courts

Our team provides support at every stage of the youth justice process.

How we help

We offer support to:

  • children at police stations, acting as an appropriate adult
  • children and young people at risk of anti-social behaviour or offending
  • those receiving out-of-court disposals, helping them avoid formal prosecution
  • young people and families attending court
  • young people on bail, during their sentence, or after release
  • young people placed in care by the courts
  • those serving a community sentence - read about community sentences (GOV.UK)
  • those sentenced to custody - read about custody (GOV.UK)
  • young people to understand the impact of their actions
  • parents and carers to understand their responsibilities

Prevention and intervention

We offer tailored support to children and young people at risk of offending. Each child receives a full assessment and a personalised plan.

Support may include:

  • restorative justice to help repair harm to victims
  • help accessing education, training or employment
  • support with substance use
  • positive activities
  • support for parents and carers

If you need support, you can self-refer. Parents and carers can make a referral on behalf of their young person.

Our team and national role

Cumberland Youth Justice Service is one of 157 Youth Justice Teams in England and Wales. We work in partnership with the Youth Justice Board, which:

  • monitors how well youth justice services are working
  • sets performance targets
  • provides funding to improve services and develop new ones

Find out more about the Youth Justice Services (GOV.UK)

Volunteer with us

Help young people make better choices and stay out of trouble. Volunteer with Cumberland Youth Justice Service and support those who have committed an offence to move forward in a positive way.

What you need to volunteer

To become a volunteer, you must:

  • be aged 18 years and over
  • pass an enhanced DBS check
  • complete 2 to 4 training sessions (held in the evening or at weekends)
  • commit 3 to 6 hours of volunteering each month

Contact us

You can contact us if you have any questions or would like to volunteer.

Email: YJS.CBLD@cumbria.gov.uk 
Carlisle Office: 01228 227 090
Workington Office: 01900 706 040

Office opening times

Monday to Thursday: 9am to 5pm

Friday: 9am to 4.30pm