Work of Bury and Rochdale Youth Justice Service recognised by inspectors

Following a routine inspection of Bury and Rochdale Youth Justice Service (YJS) in March by the HM Inspectorate of Probation the service has been awarded an overall rating of ‘Good’.

The Inspectorate looked at 12 aspects of the YJS’s work. Assessments of out of court disposals, low level crimes dealt with outside of court through community resolutions or youth cautions, was rated ‘Outstanding’.

The joint service for Rochdale and Bury is made up of staff employed by the council’s children's social care service, Probation Service, police, the education service and health partners, all of whom are there to work with young people involved in the criminal justice system aged 10 to 18. Together they all work to reduce the level and impact of youth crime across Rochdale and Bury.

HM Inspectorate of Probation is the independent inspector of youth offending and probation services across England and Wales. The Inspectorate uses a four-point scale: ‘Outstanding’, ‘Good’, ‘Requires improvement’ and ‘Inadequate’. The Inspectorate rates specific aspects of each service and also gives an overall rating.

Councillor Kieran Heakin, cabinet member for children’s services at Rochdale Borough Council, said; “This is a pleasing report and the hard work of our youth justice team is recognised. We have been investing in innovative ideas and projects on youth violence reduction which we continue to see as a key area of work. We note the recommendations and we will work on implementing them so that we can continue to make our service even better.”

The Inspectorate recognised the high level of skill and commitment of practitioners and managers in the service, as well as the contribution of partner agencies, including our youth justice partnership board members, who have been critical in driving forward positive outcomes for children.

Chief Inspector of Probation Justin Russell said: “We were impressed by senior leaders, managers and staff at this service. The Management Board is jointly led by senior representatives from Bury and Rochdale local authorities. This arrangement works well and ensures the Management Board keeps the needs of children at the heart of the service.

“Managers and staff are skilled and experienced, and they are passionate about their work. They are committed to supporting children who often come from difficult backgrounds to move away from offending. The YJS works closely with partners to ensure children access relevant support. This will, in turn, help them to move away from crime.”

Inspectors found “consistently high quality” work to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children known to the YJS. Inspectors looked at a sample of cases and found staff were adept at analysing factors that could contribute to offending such as a child’s susceptibility to gangs or peer pressure. Crucially, staff took steps to manage these risks such as liaising with the police and children’s services.

Inspectors found the YJS has also developed very strong partnerships with local agencies.

Mr Russell said: “Many children known to the YJS have complex needs. Six in 10 children have substance misuse issues, and many have educational and mental health needs.

“The YJS works closely with partners to ensure children access relevant support. This will, in turn, help them to move away from crime.”

However, the Inspectorate concluded the YJS should pay greater attention to public protection.

Inspectors looked at a sample of cases involving children who had received court sentences.

In 40 per cent of assessments, staff had underestimated the level of risk that the child could pose to the public. Staff had categorised children as presenting a low, rather than a medium-level, of risk.

In 50 per cent of case reviews – which should monitor progress and identify potential new risks – inspectors found staff did not focus sufficiently on keeping other people safe.

The Inspectorate has made six recommendations for improvement and an action plan to meet those recommendations will be developed for the youth justice partnership board to approve at an upcoming meeting.

The full report is available here:

• www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation