Youth Justice Board: Ethnic Groups

(asked on 21st October 2020) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve BAME representation amongst the staff of the Youth Justice Board (a) overall and (b) at Grade 7-5 level.


Answered by
Lucy Frazer Portrait
Lucy Frazer
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
This question was answered on 2nd November 2020

The YJB is a non-departmental public body and as such has responsibility for its own recruitment policies and processes. They are seeking to address disproportionality by implementing good practice from other organisations.

The YJB’s actions to date include:

  • Mandatory unconscious bias training for all those involved in the recruitment process;
  • Race Awareness training for all staff;
  • Widening the advertising of posts to include specific networks for black and minority ethnic individuals;
  • Promoting staff networks to black and minority ethnic staff;
  • A review of current recruitment practices and processes for potential bias;
  • A promotion of mentoring and coaching programmes and how these can be expanded to specifically support black and minority ethnic staff; and
  • Mentoring by YJB Chair and Board members for staff.

The YJB’s Equality and Diversity Group are reviewing the success of YJB’s measures and may make recommendations to the organisation on further good practice.

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