HM Inspectorate of Probation inspection of Rotherham youth offending team (YOT) has found that the service, overall, ‘Requires improvement’.

The inspection, which took place in September, concluded that improvements are needed in all three key inspection areas: organisational delivery, court and out-of-court disposals.

Rotherham YOT works with children aged 10 to 17 who are serving court sentences, or who have received cautions or community resolutions. The majority of children under their supervision are aged 15 to 17 (79%), male (81%) and white (83%). They supervise children with complex needs and some in the care of the local authority (Looked After Children).

HM Inspectorate of Probation Director of Operations Marc Baker: “There is no doubting Rotherham youth offending team’s commitment to children under their supervision, but this report outlines an unsatisfactory level of performance and quality of delivery in key areas that needs addressing. That is why we are recommending improvements; from the way the management board works, collectively, to addressing the individual health needs of each child under their supervision.”

“The team needs to do much more in terms of their leadership, service provision, and joint working. It is also a concern that areas of their work – such as assessments of children who are serving court sentences or being dealt with outside the court system – were rated as ‘Inadequate’. The issue here is that children who may pose a high risk of harm to the public are not be being properly assessed, or their needs provided for.”

On a positive note, in post-court cases the quality of desistance work and child safety was outstanding. The staffing of the team, their information sharing, and facilities are rated as ‘Good’. There is a commitment to arrangements between the YOT and adult probation services, as well as encouraging work in developing the services they offer to children.

Mr Baker added: “It’s in addressing the specific needs of each child where the service is losing ground. For example, there is a lack of understanding around the trauma a child may have experienced.

“It’s a tough ask – given the high number of Looked After Children, and those aged 16 or over who are not in education, training or employment – but senior leadership must focus on the issues this presents in order to improve.”

Due to Covid-19, the Inspectorate had to carry out this inspection remotely; analysing case files off-site and conducting video conferences.

Mr Baker concluded: “In an exceptional year, due to Covid-19, I would like to thank Rotherham YOT for their patience and understanding as we carried out our work remotely.

“It was clear to our inspectors that staff are motivated and engage well with the children under their supervision. I recognise that parts of this report make for difficult reading – our hope is that our findings and recommendations pinpoint the issues and improve the lives of children under the supervision of Rotherham YOT.”

HM Inspectorate of Probation made five recommendations aimed at benefitting supervised children and to protect the public. This includes recommending the management board better understands the health, education, training and employment provision required for each child known to them. The Inspectorate also recommends the YOT improves their oversight and management of the quality of work around risk of harm assessments.

Ends

Notes to editor

1. The report is available at justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation on 17 December 2020 00.01.
2. HM Inspectorate of Probation is the independent inspector of youth offending and probation services across England and Wales.
3. The Inspectorate uses a four-point scale: ‘Outstanding’, ‘Good’, ‘Requires improvement’ and ‘Inadequate’. The Inspectorate rates specific aspects of each service and also gives an overall rating.
4. For media enquiries, please contact Corporate Communications Manager Diane Bramall 07929 790 564 or media@hmiprobation.gov.uk (E-mail address)
5. A Management Board oversees the work of the service. Board members are drawn from the local authority, police, probation service, education and health services.
6. Recommendations to Rotherham YOT, in full, are as follows:

• The Chair of the YOT Management Board should make sure that Board members understand the specific needs of children known to the YOT and advocate on their behalf in their own agencies.

• The YOT Management Board should:
• ensure the partnership understands the reasons for the significant number of Looked After Children known to the YOT, and reviews the policies and practices of all agencies to minimise the possibility of children entering the criminal justice system unnecessarily
• undertake a comprehensive health needs analysis of YOT children to better understand the health provision being delivered and what needs to be developed
• review the quality and accessibility of education, training and employment provision for post-16-year-old children known to the service.

• The YOT Service Manager should review the quality of risk of harm work and improve the effectiveness of management oversight in all cases.