Praise for staff working with young offenders

STAFF working with young offenders in Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland have been praised for their “tenacious efforts” to achieve “aspirational outcomes” for children.

- By STUART ARNOLD Local democracy reporter

The South Tees Youth Justice Service supervises children aged 10 to 17, some of whom have complex needs and may be in local authority care.

The service has now been rated over all ‘good’ after an inspection which looked at leadership, staffing and facilities; and the management of children serving court sentences, along with those having been given cautions or community-based reparation.

Children were encouraged to have aspirational goals, and they were supported in identifying and accessing provision that could help them to achieve these goals, often beyond the duration of a court disposal they were subject to or other order.

The inspection by Inspector Caren Jones, of His Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP), which took place in July, also described an “inspirational” leadership team.

Chief Inspector of Probation, Martin Jones, said: “This inspection took place at a time of change within South Tees YJS and despite increased workloads and the impact of short-term funding arrangements, leaders and practitioners were tenacious in their efforts to achieve aspirational outcomes for children.”