Inspectors criticise ‘concerning’ standards at London youth justice service

While overall the service has been rated as “requires improvement” areas of its support are classed as “inadequate” by the HM Inspectorate of Probation team.

Governance and leadership, quality of information, planning, delivery, and the service’s out of court policies all received the inspectorate’s lowest rating.

Improvement must take place “urgently” to ensure children and the local community are protected, inspectors warn.

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They found that some youth justice staff, including child exploitation team members, are being “excluded from important meetings” and “missing out on vital information”.

High staff turnover and the service’s lack of a permanent head of service for four years are among other concerns raised.

The service is also blighted by “outdated” policies on managing children and “a worrying lack of accurate data being collected by the service”.

Some statistics the service handed to inspectors “later turned out to be incorrect by significant percentage amounts”, said the inspectorate, which warns that without accurate data the service cannot know and manage “the exact needs of children”.

Partnership working is also criticised with staff not fully understanding their responsibilities within such arrangements and “what they are accountable for”.

“Decisions are consistently not communicated or explained well enough, resulting in a lack of alignment between the issues described by staff and those understood by leaders,” warn inspectors.

“Staff do not always feel valued and report that they do not always feel they are treated with respect.”

Despite concerns raised inspectors said the service benefits from “good quality” venues for staff to meet children. Staff commitment to helping children improve is also praised.

“It is clear to us that Tower Hamlets and City of London YJS is not performing to the standards we expect,” said chief inspector of probation Justin Russell, following a visit by inspectors in April.

“The service does not have the stable workforce in critical roles and senior leadership has not been effective. This is resulting in poorer outcomes for children.  

“There are concerning issues which came to light during our inspection, and they must improve, urgently, if the local community is to be properly protected and children deterred from being involved in further offences.”

Tower Hamlets YJS covers the boroughs of Tower Hamlets and the Corporation of the City of London.

"While the inspectors did not identify any children left at risk, these results are thoroughly disappointing and completely unacceptable," said Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman. 

"In light of this, the new administration will make improving this service a top priority. We will never rest in our efforts to ensure the highest standards in safeguarding children. The previous administration’s failure to do so must be corrected." 

A Tower Hamlets spokesman added that the service has set out an improvement plan which "focuses on leadership, data management and organisational delivery". 

"Since receiving HMI Probation's recommendations we have made changes to the management board and service leaders; implemented a programme of team building and improvement; received external quality assurance of our data; introduced a new quality assurance framework to audit casework; and are continuing the implementation of our new Out of Court Panel."