Peterborough City Council’s Youth Offending Service (YOS) is one
of the best in the country at reducing re-offending rates amongst
young people, according to the Criminal Justice Joint Inspection
Team.
Inspectors from the Criminal Justice Joint Inspection Team and
the Care Quality Commission, which inspects youth offending
services nationally, visited the service in February and looked at
youth offending cases from the city council area.
Inspectors then judged how often the service works to a
sufficiently high level of quality. Inspectors grade youth
offending services in terms of how often each aspect of work they
observe meets the level of quality they are looking for. This
percentage is then used to determine whether a service is
performing averagely, lower than average or at the highest
level.
In Peterborough, for the category ‘Likelihood of Reoffending’,
which looks at work to reduce reoffending rates, the service was
graded as meeting the level of quality in 86 per cent of cases
observed. Nationally the highest that any other council has
achieved is 87 per cent.
Inspectors found that children and parents were actively engaged
in the preparation of initial assessments, helping to cater for
individuals’ needs. The report said: “All community intervention
plans/referral order contracts focused on achievable change. Almost
all reflected national standards and set relevant goals and
timescales for the child or young person.”
The report continued: “In summary, a very good health service
provision has been established in Peterborough YOS which is
identifying and meeting the emotional and mental health and
substance misuse needs of young people who offend or are likely to
offend. The service provided is a credit to managers who share a
level of awareness and understanding of the importance of health
for young people and the associated links with offending.”
For the category ‘Risk of Harm to Others’,
which looks at action taken to protect the public, the city
council’s YOS was graded as meeting the level of quality in 77 per
cent of cases observed. Nationally the highest that any other
council has achieved is 86 per cent.
The Youth Offending Service was also rated for
its ‘Safeguarding’ work to protect young people and was graded as
meeting the level of quality in 83 per cent of cases. The highest
nationally is 91 per cent.
As part of the inspection, ten children and
young people completed a questionnaire. The young people said they
felt staff listened to them and took action to deal with their
problems. All the children and young people spoken to, felt that
their lives had improved as a result of their work with the YOS.
All felt that they were either “a bit or a lot less likely to
reoffend as a result of the work done”. One young person said
“before I did not bother with education or anything, but now I am
in college and doing very well”. Others commented about the YOS in
very positive terms: “I love it”, said one, while another added “It
is amazing”.
Victims of crime were also interviewed by
inspectors. One commented “My experience with the YOS was nothing
but positive”.
Andy Smith, Assistant Chief Inspector for the
Criminal Justice Joint Inspection Team, said: “We were impressed to
find a YOS where the staff worked creatively and conscientiously,
under the capable guidance of a small, but strong, management team,
to deliver a good range of quality interventions to children and
young people. As a result, the children and young people’s Risk of
Harm to others, Likelihood of Reoffending and vulnerability were
effectively addressed.
“Overall, we consider this to be a very
creditable set of findings”.
For Safeguarding, the report
acknowledged: “Some good examples of case managers thinking
ahead and planning for the end of the child or young person’s order
or licence. Voluntary support was offered at the end of the
sentence in order to manage risk of harm and vulnerability.”
Praise was given for the way the YOS works
with its partners including the substance misuse and mental health
services and the police.
Against the ‘Risk of Harm to others’ criteria,
the city council’s YOS achieved 77 per cent after successfully
taking into account the issues of victims, creating comprehensive
and accurate assessments and putting plans into place to manage all
potential risks of harm to others.
The report recognises that the “good work by
the YOS in supporting children and young people and in delivering
quality interventions was reflected in the positive outcomes
achieved.”
In conclusion, the report highlights whether
different aspects of the Peterborough YOS requires minimum,
moderate, substantial or drastic improvement. Across every section
of the report, inspectors commented that minimum improvement is
required.
Councillor
Sheila Scott, the city council’s Cabinet Member for Children's
Services, said “I am delighted with the results of this inspection
which really highlight the great service which the Peterborough
Youth Offending Service is providing to our young people in need of
support.
“Across every section of the report,
inspectors commented that minimum improvement is required which
provides a real cause for celebration for the city council and
Children’s Services.
“Inspectors commented on the flair and
innovation staff offer, along with a huge commitment to children.
These comments are really encouraging and are a real credit to the
Youth Offending Service, which deserves great praise for all its
hard work.”
Ends.