Inspectors praise 'dedicated' youth offending team
Adam Offord
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
The work of a youth offending service (YOS) in London has been praised by inspectors after they undertook a screening inspection.
??Following a visit at the end of September, the Inspectorate of Probation said it was "evident" that there was a commitment by staff at Enfield YOS to children and young people and their parents and carers.
Inspectors said a "key strength" of the YOS was the services provided to referral order panels and the court, with pre-sentence and panel reports of particularly high standard. ??
The report also noted another key strength was that the risk of harm to identifiable victims had been effectively managed.
??"We found dedicated staff who had built constructive relationships both with the children and young people who had offended, and their families," the report said. ??
"Well-written reports provided the court with relevant information to assist sentencing.
??"Joint working with other agencies was effective and helped workers assess and plan their work."
However, the report did include areas for improvement.
Inspectors said plans for delivery of interventions needed to have greater clarity, precision and be sequenced in order of priority.
??They also said that plans should be "owned" by children and young people and written in a language that is meaningful, and management oversight should be more effective across all aspects of work. ??
"Some intervention plans designed to reduce reoffending, risk of harm and vulnerability were not always reviewed on time," the report added.
??"Staff spoke positively about the support and supervision offered by their managers although we found some evidence that oversight of casework required further improvement."
