Barnet Youth Offending Service doing ‘Good’ work with local children

Barnet Youth Offending Service (YOS) has received an overall rating of ‘Good’ following an inspection by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP).

Inspectors were pleased with the way Barnet YOS was organised, citing high-quality work in safeguarding, governance arrangements and work with their partners. The inspection also found the service has in-house speech and language therapy and a psychologist.

This inspection noted that Barnet is proactive in its work around diversity and disproportionality and recognised its efforts in addressing the number of school exclusions for Black, Asian and minority ethnic children.

Children, Education & Safeguarding Committee Chair, Cllr Pauline Coakley-Webb, said:

“We are very proud of all the work that we do in Barnet to help our young people and especially those who are vulnerable or who may have started off life on the wrong path or have themselves,  been victims of crime.

“This report shows that what we are doing is making a difference and we will continue to be extremely clear and conscientious in the decisions we take as we continue to improve our Young Offenders Services.”

Tina McElligott, Chair of Barnet’s Youth Justice Matters Board said:

“The HMIP Inspection outcome recognises the impact of our strong multi-agency partnerships which is focused on ensuring young people have the support they need to achieve good outcomes.

“Taking on board the recommendations in the report, we will continue to work together to further strengthen delivery of effective Youth Justice Services in Barnet.” 

Barnet Children’s Services Executive Director, Chris Munday, said:

“We welcome this report from the HMIP, which validates all the hard work being done by our staff across the Barnet YOS. We have been working across the departments to ensure that the highest level of service is provided and are creating a basis that will allow us to continually improve.

“However, we are also aware that there is more to do and so we will be preparing an action plan to address the recommendations contained within the report.”

The report makes seven recommendations, including ensuring robust contingency plans are in place for all children, which address their safety and wellbeing, and risk of harm to others, and improve the way they work with victims.

 

ENDS

Notes to editor

1. Barnet YOS work with children aged 10 to 17. The majority of children under their supervision are aged 15 to 17 (83%), male (84%) and Black and minority ethnic (59%). The YOS supervise children with complex needs and some in the care of the local authority.
2. The Inspectorate uses a four-point scale: ‘Outstanding’, ‘Good’, ‘Requires improvement’ and ‘Inadequate’, rating specific aspects of each service and giving an overall rating.
3. The inspection looked at standards of organisational delivery (leadership, staffing and facilities), their management of children serving court sentences (court disposals) and children serving cautions or community sentences (out-of-court disposals). We also inspected the quality of resettlement policy and provision, which were separately rated as ‘Good’.
4. The report is available on the HM Inspectorate of Probation website on 31 May 2022 00.01.
5. HM Inspectorate of Probation is the independent inspector of youth offending and probation services across England and Wales.
6. Fieldwork for this inspection took place in February 2022.
7. For media enquiries, please contact Corporate Communications Manager Diane Bramall 07929 790 564 or media@hmiprobation.gov.uk