A youth justice service has been praised for its “highly skilled workforce” by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP).
Bexley Youth Justice Service (YJS) received an overall rating of ‘Good’ following a recent inspection by HMIP.
Chief Inspector of Probation, Martin Jones, said: “Bexley YJS has a strong and committed partnership board which is authentic in its prioritisation and care for children.
“Staff, volunteers and managers are passionate about improving outcomes for children, and the workforce is highly skilled, knowledgeable, and feel valued for their work.”
The report found staff and volunteers at Bexley YJS benefit from training and support that promotes the development of high-quality skills.
In addition, the report noted that the service’s partnerships offered a range of provisions and projects to meet the needs of children and families.
Inspectors were also impressed by the practitioner’s ability to understand a child’s trauma and how this influenced behaviour, motivation, and attitudes to offending.
But, Mr Jones said: “We saw many elements of ‘Outstanding’ practice at Bexley YJS – staff and leadership should be proud of the service they offer – and, with some tweaks, the service could improve even further.”
Planning for children subject to court disposals was identified by the report as an area which requires improvement.
Inspectors found instances where planned interventions were not responsive to risks, as well as limited planning to understand the impact on victims and to keep victims safe.
Bexley YJS Management Board was advised by HMIP to ensure mechanisms are in place to effectively respond to victims’ needs.
The report made five recommendations to improve the services, including that the Bexley Youth Justice Management Board should develop an overarching strategy to address and respond to disproportionality and diversity.
The report also recommended that the Met police should work with the YJS to ensure all children are offered and supported to access appropriate interventions at the earliest opportunity.
(Picture: Pexels/shvetsproduction)
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