Youth Justice National Development Team
The Youth Justice National Development Team (NDT) performs a key function at the Criminal Justice Social Work Development Centre. A team of three practice experts, the NDT supports, maintains and further develops youth justice practice and is engaged with practitioners and managers from a wide range of backgrounds who work with children and young people involved in offending behaviour. The team provides active practice support and is at the vanguard of practice development, making sense of research, promoting good practice and enabling knowledge transfer. The Team works in partnership with the National Youth Justice Advisory Group on the delivery of a comprehensive programme of annual events.
Who we are
Professor Bill Whyte: The team leader is Professor Bill Whyte as part of his role as Director of the Criminal Justice Social Work Development Centre. Bill lectures on youth justice and criminal justice social work on undergraduate, post qualifying and post graduate programmes. He has been a social work manager and field social worker, a welfare worker in a (former List D) residential school, and as an independent local authority chair of child protection. Paula Grieve is the recently appointed Centre Administrator who has overall administrative responsibility for the work of the Centre including NDT work.
Stuart Allardyce: Stuart is a qualified social worker who, over the last 10 years, has specialised as a practitioner, trainer and manager in work with children and young people who display harmful sexual behaviours. He is secretary of NOTA Scotland and currently chairs the National Development (Champions) Group in this area of practice.
Linda Robb: Linda is qualified in teaching, community work and child protection and has had extensive years experience as a practitioner and manager in local authority services for children and young people involved in offending behaviour and/or in need of protection. She is committed to improving outcomes for vulnerable girls and young women and is currently the chair of the National priority theme group specialising in this area of work.
Sue George: Sue has qualifications in teaching, youth and community work, and child protection. She has extensive years as practitioner and manager in voluntary and local authority services for children and young people involved in offending behaviour, and/or in need of protection, and in residential establishments. Her focus is on identifying and promoting effective multi agency early intervention. She currently chairs the Early and Effective (EEI) National Development (Champions) Group.