Gwynedd and Ynys Môn Youth Justice Service rated as ‘Good’

Gwynedd and Ynys Môn Youth Justice Service (YJS) has received an overall rating of 'Good' following an inspection by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation.

The service was inspected and rated across three broad areas: the arrangements for organisational delivery of the service, the quality of work done with children sentenced by the courts, and the quality of out-of-court disposal work.

The quality of resettlement policy and provision was also inspected and was separately rated as 'Requires improvement'.

Chief Inspector of Probation, Martin Jones, said: "The service is child focused and committed to helping children to desist from further offending.

"An individualised approach helps to ensure children's diversity needs are recognised, and support is put in place to help them thrive and achieve positive decision-making. Staff and volunteers are a strength - they are kind, thoughtful, work well together as one team, and are positive advocates for the children they supervise."

The report noted the strategic management board has some committed members who work well to mobilise financial resources for the YJS but that, since the pandemic, there has been a disconnect with frontline practitioners.

It also acknowledged the quality of the relationships between practitioners and children, whilst highlighting that work associated with supporting children's safety and wellbeing and their potential to cause harm to others is variable and needs to improve.

Mr Jones added: "The YJS can be rightly proud of the way it reaches out to children with compassion to help them live out their best lives. It must now focus on using the findings from this inspection as a springboard to bring about further change."

Ends 12 March 2024

Notes to editor

1. This service works with children aged 10 to 17. The YJS supervise children with complex needs and some in the care of the local authority.
2. The Inspectorate uses a four-point scale: 'Outstanding', 'Good', 'Requires improvement' and 'Inadequate', rating specific aspects of each service and giving an overall rating.
3. The inspection looked at standards of organisational delivery (leadership, staffing and facilities), their management of children serving court sentences (court disposals) and children serving cautions or community sentences (out-of-court disposals).
4. The report is available on the HM Inspectorate of Probation website on 12 March 2024 at 00.01.
5. HM Inspectorate of Probation is the independent inspector of youth justice and probation services across England and Wales.
6. Fieldwork for this inspection took place in November 2023.
7. For media enquiries, please contact Louise Cordell, Head of Communications 07523 805224 / [email protected]

Inspection of Youth Justice Service in Gwynedd and Ynys Môn

HMIP Report March 2024

Statement from Fôn Roberts Director of Social Services Ynys Môn and Chair of the Youth Justice Service Management Board

The Gwynedd Môn YJS Management Board and Staff are very pleased with an overall 'Good' rating from our recent HMIP Youth Justice Inspection.

We want to send our thanks to our partners in both local authorities, the Local Criminal Justice System and the voluntary sector for their support during preparation and the inspection week.

The inspectorate identified; strong senior partnership arrangements that were driving and resourcing effective work with children and families, a staffing group that were well supported and supervised, and that children and parents were actively involved in planning and delivery of support.

We have areas for improvement most of which were not a great surprise to us, and our responsibility now is to act on these to ensure we are providing high quality support for the children and communities of Gwynedd and Ynys Môn.

The YJS Management Board and senior managers have already started the process of improvement, a meeting was held on 31 January to review our draft report and findings for the purpose of effective and efficient response, we have until 29 March to submit our Improvement Plan.

We are particularly pleased and proud that YJS staff were specifically highlighted in the report for the high quality of engagement and support they provide to children and their families. And we should not forget the children many of whom gave their time to speak with and provide feedback to the inspectors, we are very thankful for this.