YRO
A community-based sentence for children.
Youth Rehabilitation Orders (YROs) are community sentences given to children. These can be tailored to address the needs of the individual child, the risk of harm and the risk of re-offending. Each sentence includes different requirements. There is no minimum period for a YRO but they can last up to three years. YROs are covered by sections 173 – 199 and Schedule 6 of the Sentencing Act 2020. They cannot be imposed where the criteria for compulsory Referral Orders are met or where the sentence is fixed by law.
There are 15 different available YRO requirements:
• activity requirement (maximum 90 days)
• supervision requirement
• unpaid work (16 and 17-year olds only; 40-240 hours)
• programme requirement
• attendance centre requirement (maximum 12 hours for children aged 10–13; between 12 and 24 hours for 14–15-year olds; and between 12 and 36 hours for 16–17-year-olds)
• prohibited activity requirement
• curfew requirement (maximum 12 months and between two and 20 hours a day)
• exclusion requirement (maximum three months)
• residence requirement (16- and 17-year olds)
• local authority residence requirement (maximum six months, but not for any period after young person attains age of 18)
• mental health treatment requirement
• drug treatment requirement
• drug testing requirement (14-17-year olds only)
• intoxicating substance treatment requirement
• education requirement
• Electronic monitoring requirement (attached to curfew or GPS location monitoring)
Further guidance on each requirement can be found in the Youth Justice Board Case Management Guidance under ‘how to use reports’.