Case management and court orders
Parenting orders
A parenting order is designed to offer parents / carers support, guidance and training to allow them to have greater control over their children's behaviour.
It can be awarded at court to the parent(s) / carers of young people who:
- have committed a crime
- have failed to attend school
Who can get a parenting order
A parenting order can be made in the following circumstances against the parent / carer of any child who is brought into court for an offence:
- when a child is made the subject of an anti-social behaviour order or a sex offender order
- when a parent / carer is prosecuted for their child's poor attendance at school
- When a child is made the subject of a child safety order
Any parent or carer that a young person lives with can be given a parenting order - so this may include a step-parent.
A parent who is not living with, but is in regular contact, may also be issued with a separate order.
A parenting order can be made without the parent / carer being present in court, but it is better if they can attend because, if asked, they can express their views.
If you receive a parenting order
If you receive a parenting order, you will have to:
- attend a parenting skills course, or
- attend weekly counselling or guidance sessions
The main requirement is for the parent(s) / carers to attend these sessions on a weekly basis for up to 3 months.
To avoid a repeat of the problems that led to the order, the Court can make additional requirements. These include:
- that you make sure your child is at home during set hours and is appropriately supervised
- that you make sure they attend school regularly and on time
If a parent / carer does not keep the condition of the order
If the parent / carer does not give genuine reasons for this, they will be in breach of the order.
This means they will be given a written warning. If they still fail to keep to the conditions of the order, a meeting will be called to review the situation.
If, after these procedures, the parent / carer still does not comply with the order, they may be taken back to court.
If this does happen, they will be subject to further proceedings, resulting in a criminal conviction, which could be a fine of up to £1,000 or an adult community sentence.
Other ways to help with your child's behaviour
You are able to get support from the Youth Offending Service (YOS) on a voluntary basis.
You will need to speak with your child's Case Manager and they will make a referral to our Parenting Officer or give you advice on where you can sought advice / help.
The level of support you can get depends on your individual needs.
You may only need one session or support over a period of time.
How long your support will last
If you attend a parenting programme a review will be held at the end of the programme.
You will be able to discuss what progress has been made and whether you feel you need further support.
If further support is needed then a decision will be made between you and the Parenting Officer as to what support is needed and you will provide it.
If you are receiving one-to-one support from the Parenting Officer, your case will be reviewed every 4 weeks to assess what progress has been made.
At 12 weeks, a decision will be made about what further support is needed and which service will provide it.
What a parenting course is
A parenting course takes place once a week for up to 3 months.
Each session will last between 1 hour 30 minutes and 2 hours.
There could be up to 8 other parents attending the same course.
Two staff members from the Youth Offending Service will run the course.
The course will take place at an easily accessible venue in South Tyneside.
If you don't attend the course
If you fail to attend or keep to the requirements of the parenting order, you will be taken back to court where you could be fined up to £1000, or re-sentenced.