When working with children both HM Inspectorate of Probation and the Youth Justice Board (YJB) advocate actions to reduce a risk of harm – to that child or others, better worded as ensuring safety and wellbeing of all. We are in complete agreement that access to services for children is crucial in meeting their needs and preventing offending and reoffending.

As set out in the HM Inspectorate of Probation standards framework for inspecting youth offending services, the focus is upon the delivery of high-quality, well-focused, personalised and coordinated services which engage and assist children.

The Inspectorate and the YJB are working closely together to address the questions this research focuses on.  Alongside this the YJB are updating their case management guidance and working to the recommendations of the Child First implementation report by Loughborough University.

Ensuring practitioners can fully focus on the children they support is an absolute priority for both organisations.