Youth offending teams face budget cuts

Funding from NOMS, part of the Ministry of Justice, is one of a number of funding streams for YOTs.

The proportion it makes up of total YOT budgets varies from area to area but is set to fall from April due to a reduction of 2.7 per cent in NOMS funding for probation areas for 2010/11.

Michael Spurr, chief operating officer of NOMS, said as a result, current levels of ring-fenced funding to YOTs cannot be guaranteed.

"We recognise the commitment made to the Youth Justice Board but you will understand that in the current economic climate there is a requirement to reduce costs across both the adult and juvenile estate," he said.

"We are endeavouring to make sensible cost reductions, maintaining key service delivery requirements, and probation areas are having to make difficult decisions in order to prioritise and concentrate resources on frontline delivery."

Lorna Hadley, the new chair of the Association of Youth Offending Team Managers, said: "This is evidence of the struggle that YOT funding partners have.

"Obviously there is concern looking ahead about planning for 2011 and the impact of reduced budgets once funding from the Youth Crime Action Plan ends."