Early Intervention Strategies

Practical approaches for parents and carers to support teenagers before antisocial behaviour escalates to serious legal issues.

Why Early Intervention Matters

Early intervention is crucial for preventing the escalation of antisocial behaviour into more serious issues. Research shows that timely, appropriate support can significantly improve outcomes for young people.

Better Outcomes

Early intervention leads to better educational, social, and health outcomes for teenagers.

Cost-Effective

Addressing issues early is more cost-effective than dealing with serious offending later.

Prevents Criminalization

Early support can prevent young people from entering the criminal justice system.

Strengthens Families

Effective interventions can improve family relationships and communication.

Parent trying to communicate with disengaged teenager

Practical Intervention Strategies

Strategies for Home

Effective Communication

Open, non-judgmental communication is essential for understanding your teenager’s perspective.

  • Choose calm moments for important conversations
  • Listen actively without interrupting
  • Validate their feelings even if you disagree with their actions
  • Use “I” statements to express your concerns
  • Avoid accusatory language or criticism

Consistent Boundaries

Clear, consistent boundaries help teenagers understand expectations and consequences.

  • Set clear rules and expectations
  • Involve your teenager in establishing house rules
  • Ensure consequences are proportionate and related to the behavior
  • Be consistent in enforcing boundaries
  • Recognize and reward positive behavior

Monitoring and Supervision

Appropriate monitoring helps keep teenagers safe while respecting their growing independence.

  • Know where your teenager is and who they’re with
  • Set reasonable curfews
  • Monitor online activity while respecting privacy
  • Get to know your teenager’s friends and their parents
  • Create a safe environment for them to bring friends home

UK Early Intervention Programs

Youth Inclusion Programs (YIPs)

YIPs work with 8-17 year olds who are at high risk of involvement in antisocial or criminal behavior.

  • Targeted support for high-risk young people
  • Structured activities and personal development
  • One-to-one mentoring and group work
  • Available in many areas across the UK

Family Intervention Projects

These projects work with whole families where children are at risk of poor outcomes.

  • Intensive support for families with complex needs
  • Practical assistance with parenting
  • Help with addressing underlying issues
  • Coordination of multiple services

Youth Offending Teams (YOTs)

YOTs work with young people who get in trouble with the law, but also offer preventative services.

  • Early intervention to prevent offending
  • Support for young people who have received cautions
  • Restorative justice approaches
  • Referrals to specialized services

Troubled Families Programme

This government initiative works with families facing multiple problems.

  • Whole-family approach to complex problems
  • Dedicated key worker for each family
  • Practical support with employment, education, and health
  • Coordination between different services

How to Access These Services

These services can be accessed through various routes:

  • Self-referral: Contact your local council’s family services or youth services department.
  • School referral: Speak to your child’s school about concerns, and they may refer you to appropriate services.
  • GP referral: Your family doctor can refer you to mental health services or other support.
  • Social services: If you’re already working with social services, discuss early intervention options.
  • Police: Community police officers can provide information about local youth programs.

Understanding the UK Youth Justice System

If your teenager is getting into trouble with the police, it’s important to understand how the youth justice system works in the UK.

UK police officer talking to teenagers

First Contact with Police

If your child comes into contact with the police, several outcomes are possible:

  • No further action: The police may decide not to take the matter further.
  • Community resolution: An informal approach to dealing with less serious offenses, often involving an apology or compensation to the victim.
  • Youth Caution: A formal warning given by the police for minor offenses.
  • Youth Conditional Caution: Similar to a Youth Caution but with conditions attached that must be complied with.
  • Charge and court proceedings: For more serious offenses.

Your Rights as a Parent

If your child is arrested or interviewed by police:

  • You have the right to be informed if your child is arrested (if under 18).
  • Your child has the right to have an appropriate adult present during questioning (usually a parent).
  • Your child has the right to free legal advice.
  • You can request information about what happens next in the process.

Important Note

If your child is arrested or interviewed by police, it’s crucial to seek legal advice immediately. Do not allow them to be interviewed without a solicitor present. Legal representation at the police station is free of charge.

Need More Personalized Support?

Our team can provide guidance specific to your situation and connect you with local resources.

Contact Our Support Team

Conflict resolution and anger management support services for parents and teens.

  • Are you struggling to cope with your teen’s anti social/aggressive behaviour?
  • Is the constant arguing causing stress in the home?
  • Are they getting into trouble at school, with the police or other agencies?
  • Have you lost confidence as a parent or carer and need some advice and support?
  • Are you a teen struggling with family, identity and self esteem issues?

Parent999 specialises in supporting and delivering programmes specifically designed for parents and teens.

The programmes, courses and assessments have been developed by Steve Kenny, a former police Sergeant, who also spent 10 years in a residential children’s home. Steve understands the needs and problems that may arise for parents, carers and young people regardless of background.

For the past 8 years Steve has been working with teens in schools and homes as well as supporting parents and carers throughout the North West.

Our interventions work because we know what you need. We don’t just work with young people we support and advise parents and carers with our intervention strategies as well.

Please feel free to contact us for further information and without obligation.

 

Steve Kenny

LLB (Hons), NLP dip, Dip MASC Associated Stress Consultants, Level 3 Accredited Mediator and Restorative Practitioner, Level 3 Child Advocate and Teenage Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour Mentor.

Steve is a former police officer, having spent many years as a Neighbourhood Sergeant, and he has a wealth of first-hand experience in partnership working. Steve has years of experience in supporting parents and carers with Teenage Anti-Social Behaviour problems.

Amongst some of the skills that Steve can pass on to parents, carers and young people are; leadership, resilience, confidence, team work, motivation, understanding the criminal justice system, conflict resolution and communication skills, and self-worth.

Experience

Steve has years of experience helping families with young people at risk of involvement in anti-social behaviour, crime, CSE, county lines, gangs, drugs, and alcohol issues. 

Steve also has experience of Outward Bound Activities and After School Enrichment Programmes and works as a mentor and motivational coach within schools, local communities and family environments.

Steve is also involved with the Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Manchester providing skills workshops and team building events based on the effectiveness of early interventions.

Having spent the first 10 years of his life in Barnardo’s, in a residential children’s home, Steve understands some of the difficulties young people can face.

”Identity is a huge factor for many young people these days, whether at home or at school, and the outcomes from a misguided identity can have a negative impact on the whole community.”

Over the last 8 years Steve has worked in a variety of roles involving mentoring and working with young people in care homes, schools, youth clubs and as a family support worker.

Steve has developed his own Teen Building ® Mentoring Programme which has been designed to challenge young people’s self-beliefs. It also deals with Teenage Anti-Social Behaviour interventions and how to support parents and carers. The Programmes help young people to make better life choices, enabling them to become better citizens.

Steve has managed to forge links with a number of schools in the North West as well as some local Neighbourhood Policing teams.

Steve Rothwell has over 20 years working with young people in a mentoring capacity. He was the Regional Executive Director in London for part of the Probation Service and primarily working with Gangs and “Hard to Reach” young people who needed rehabilitation into society. Since leaving the service he has worked as a mentor for both young people and their families in various capacities. His passions are to ensure young people are heard and given a purpose to keep them free from crime and given all the support needed for them directly and their families. Making good and right choices in today’s society is harder with all the pressures from Social Media and Peers and Steve has a wonderful way of engaging with people who are currently on the wrong path. His many years of experience and his own personal story of growing up in care and the challenges he faced as a teen make him incredibly relatable.

Karen Archibald

Karen has spent 30 years with Greater Manchester Police and has spent much of her service as a Dectective within the Criminal Investigation Department, specialising in Domestic Violence and Child Protection investigations.

Experience

Karen has worked on many complex cases involving CSE, Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences and has a wealth of experience in Multi Agency approaches to solving complex cases.

Partners

  Manchester Metropolitan University   The University of Manchester   Upturn Enterprises   Springboard Project   Trident Health and Performance