Major improvements at Surrey youth offending service, inpectors find

In uplifting its rating, HM Inspectorate of Probation described the service’s support for young offenders as “impressive”.

Inspectors were particularly impressed with the quality of support for young people in court as well as in the community, noting that the team “have good knowledge of the children under their supervision”

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“To go from an ‘inadequate’ to ‘good’ rating, in just a few years, is quite an achievement,” said chief inspector of probation Justin Russell.

“Surrey Youth Offending Service (YOS) is now an organised and focused service that understands the children under their supervision. They have an impressive range of innovative services for each child, which look to deter them from further offending at the earliest opportunity.”

Daily “risk briefings” to minimise the chances of children reoffending, is another area of the service praised by inspectors.

Russell described the service’s work to assess the risk of harm a child may pose as “high quality”.

Assessing risk “is a priority for them and has been beneficial to al aspects of the service”, he added.

“Children who are properly assessed, at the earliest stage, are provided with appropriate services that meet their needs. All of this needs to be in place for the protection of the child and the benefit of the public.

“I commend the staff at Surrey YOS – they have shown a commitment to improvement and a dedication to a once-struggling service. They faced the challenge and have succeeded to become a developed, well-motivated and knowledgeable service.”

Ensuring consistency of oversight of the service’s work across the county, is among recommendations made for further improvement.

Inspectors also want to see better monitoring of training and called on the service to “ensure the voice of the child is always heard at the joint decision-making panel”.

“To go from an ‘Inadequate’ to ‘Good’ rating, in just a few years, is quite an achievement. Surrey YOS is now an organised and focused service that understands the children under their supervision.” Congratulation Surrey YOS! 👏https://t.co/xDUaLjyfSq

— Youth Justice Board (@_YJB) May 11, 2022

The service achieved a good rating in terms of overall performance and in ten other areas including resettlement policy and leadership.

It has also been handed an outstanding rating in three areas, relating to planning and delivery of its work in court and the community.

Factors in improvements at Surrey’s YOS include the integration of the service amid broader support in Surrey for vulnerable teenagers, said inspectors.