Youth Offending Service
YOUTH OFFENDING SERVICE: HIGH LEVEL OF
QUALITY
A rigorous independent assessment, carried out
by Her Majesty’s Inspector of Probation (HMIP), on Bedford Borough
Council’s Youth Offending Service (YOS), has revealed how aspects
of the work carried out by our Youth Offending Service have been
administered with a high level of quality, achieving the highest
possible ranking in two out of the three categories.
Bedfordshire YOS is a shared service led by
Bedford Borough Council’s Children’s Services. The purpose of the
inspection was to ensure that the required action is being taken to
protect both the public from any harm, resulting from the child or
young person’s offending behaviour, and the child or young person
themselves.
HMIP examined a representative sample of youth
offending cases from across Bedfordshire and found that the
safeguarding aspects of the work and the work to make each
individual less likely to reoffend were in the highest quartile,
with no minimum improvement required.
Further feedback from HMIP’s report reveals
they found a staff team committed to delivering quality
interventions with children and young people, supported by
effective partnership working.
Cllr Sue Oliver, Portfolio Holder for
Children’s Social Care at Bedford Borough Council, said: “The
impact that our dedicated Youth Offending Service can have on an
individual’s life can be great. The community as a whole benefits
when a child with emotional or behavioural issues is supported and
shown how to change direction.”
In the vast majority of cases inspected, young
people said that they were a lot less likely to reoffend as a
result of their direct involvement with Bedfordshire YOS.
To view the report in full, visit
www.justice.gov.uk/about/hmi-probation/