Young offender service rated good in inspection
BBCWarwickshire Youth Justice Service (YJS) has received an overall rating of "good" following an inspection.
His Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation found "inquisitive" staff at the service had a thorough understanding of the needs of the young offenders they supported.
Despite achieving the second highest rating, the service needed to improve its work with victims, the watchdog said.
Chief Inspector of Probation Martin Jones said: "The team at Warwickshire YJS have much to be proud of. With some further focus on improving the offer to victims, I have no doubt this service can excel."
During a visit last October, the inspectors found strengths in practitioners' consideration of trauma impacts, neurodiversity, and communication difficulties, the inspectorate said.
Their subsequent report also highlighted strong planning, with plans co-produced with relevant services.
Jones said: "We found inquisitive staff with a thorough understanding of the needs of children, and who were committed to continuously developing and improving their practice."
Warwickshire County Council said inspectors had praised staff for ensuring children received the right support at the right time.
Nigel Minns, executive director for children and young people, said the rating reflected staff's hard work, "who put the needs of young people at the heart of everything they do."
Recommendations made
The report recommended the YJS team ensured planning was of a consistently high quality and focused on how to keep each child and the community safe.
In addition, it said the YJS and Warwickshire Police should review processes for initial contact with victims, to ensure consistency across both out-of-court resolutions and court orders.
It also stated the YJS management board should better gather and evaluate data in relation to victim consent rates.
Minns said: "We fully accept the recommendations set out in the report and are working with partners to implement change."
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