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Youth Offending Team (YOT) Communication Needs Training

Training is now being rolled-out to YOTs across England. Please let us know if you would like to arrange training at your YOT.

The Communication Trust commissioned I CAN and Dyslexia Action to develop training specifically aimed at frontline staff within YOTs to help them to understand what communication needs and difficulties are, how they can affect a young person and how staff can support them. The training was piloted at four YOTs earlier this year and is now being rolled-out.

The full training is delivered over two days but options for a single day and day and a half session are available;

The full two-day training session –

Day one
The aim of day one of the training is to:
Look at what communication skills are;
Look at the impact of communication needs;
Consider how to work with young people with communication needs;
Consider the relationships between communication and behaviour; and
The importance of communication skills for YOTs

The training stresses a collaborative approach to working out how to support young people and covers both basic and more advanced strategies for effective practice.

Day two
The first half of the day looks at specific communication needs in more detail giving an overview of Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It aims to lead to a greater understanding of the implications they may have for young people in the youth justice system.

The second half of the day covers training in a screening tool to help identify where communication needs may exist. While not a diagnostic tool it helps staff to identify where needs may exist and recommend practical strategies for working with the young person (or perhaps further referral to, for example, speech and language therapy or educational psychology).

The Trust would recommend the full two-day training but other options are available. A one day training package is available and covers day one of the training while a day and a half training session covers day one of the training and the overview of specific communication needs (part one of day two).

The Trust has funding to provide the training package and trainers for free but asks that YOTs provide and cover the costs of a venue to hold the training and cover costs for a projector and speakers (a projector is very important to the delivery of the training while speakers are desirable but less important).

We would recommend that groups for Day 1 of the training be limited to a maximum of 25 people and that between 6-15 people be selected to undertake the second days training as this may require more one-to-one time between trainers and attendees (particularly regarding training in the screening tool).

Current funding will cover delivery of training to around 50% of YOTs and although we would hope to secure funding for the remainder this is currently not certain. YOTs may wish to share training whereby two local YOTs share the same session and share the costs of holding the event. The Trust is happy to help facilitate this where YOTs feel it is appropriate. A shared training session can also be a good way for staff to share ideas and strategies across their different sites.

Interested YOTs should contact Dave Mahon for more details or to discuss scheduling training at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 0207 843 2548.

Click here to view a statement about the screening tool. It explains what it is and how it should be used. It also provides a background to the development of the tool, how it has been evaluated and how it will continue to be evaluated.

Quotes from YOT staff and the young people they work with