An HM Inspectorate of Probation inspection of Stockton-on-Tees youth offending team (YOT) has found the service to be, overall, ‘Outstanding’ – the highest rating possible.

Stockton-on-Tees YOT works with children aged 10 to 17 who are serving court sentences (court disposals) or who have received cautions or community resolutions (out-of-court disposals). The majority of children under their supervision are aged 15 to 17 (68 per cent), male (93 per cent) and white (93 per cent).

The inspection, which took place in September 2020, concluded that the YOT is performing to a high standard in all three key inspection areas: organisational delivery, court disposals and out-of-court disposals.

HM Inspectorate of Probation Director of Operations Marc Baker: “Stockton-on-Tees is a youth offending team that is not content to merely provide a broad service. They are fully committed to improving the lives of each child and reducing the chance of them reoffending – a vital balance that must be struck for the protection of the public and the children under their supervision.”

The YOT’s ability to engage with children impressed the inspectors, and their report outlines the team’s outstanding work in assessing each child’s individual needs and having a consistent approach to reviewing the effectiveness of the YOT’s work.

Mr Baker added: “It should be expected that youth offending teams try to establish strong working relationships with children and their parents. However, in practice, this is highly challenging and requires skill and patience.

“Staff at the YOT take time to get to know the children they work with, they involve parents and carers in their plans and deliver difficult messages with empathy. We have recommended they involve the children more in this planning process but, overall, the service produces effective interventions which will hopefully deter a child from committing a further offence.”

The team was also praised for its in-house management. Mr Baker concluded: “There is a clear and important connection between motivated staff and the quality of service they can provide – this is the case for all youth offending teams. What Stockton-on-Tees have demonstrated is an ability to combine stable working environments for their staff, who are supported by their managers via challenge, guidance and leadership. They set high standards and ensure these are achieved.”

HM Inspectorate of Probation provides each youth offending team, no matter their overall rating, with recommendations inspectors identified following an inspection:

The Youth Offending Team Management Board should:

1. should work with Cleveland Police to review and amend the triage policy.

The Stockton-on-Tees Youth Offending Team should:

2. involve children in the development of service delivery
3. strengthen its planning arrangements for keeping children safe, ensuring that contingency plans are clear and robust.

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

Ends

Notes to editor

1. The report is available at justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation on 05 February 2021.
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.