Bracknell Forest Youth Justice Team (YJT) has received an overall rating of ‘Good’ following an inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation as part of its programme of Youth Justice Service (YJS) inspections.

The YJT was 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.

Sue McAllister, interim Chief Inspector of Probation, said: “The quality of intervention children receive when they have a court or out-of-court disposal in Bracknell Forest is impressive. There is a real understanding of ‘child first’ principles, but this is not at the expense of managing risk to others effectively and maintaining a good recognition of the needs of victims.”

The report noted the team’s practitioners often went above and beyond expectations, displaying high-quality assessment skills and a keen ability to analyse risks and support strengths effectively.

It also praised the skilled and enthusiastic management team and wider, often integrated, partnership approach aimed at delivering the best outcomes for children with the ‘right intervention at the right time’.

However, the report highlighted the need for all strategic partner to improve their understanding of the profile and needs of children open to the YJT, and for work to be done to maintain the effectiveness of out-of-court disposal delivery.

Sue McAllister added: “Crucially, the police need to develop a more coherent child-first approach to this activity, working collaboratively with both the YJT and other youth justice services in the Thames Valley area as a matter of urgency to improve operational delivery and ensure proportional outcomes for all children.

“If these actions are addressed with pace, the children in Bracknell Forest may well experience an even better offer of intervention than the high-quality one they are already receiving.”

ENDS

Notes to editor

1. Bracknell Forest is one of six unitary authority areas within Berkshire in Thames Valley in Southern England. It covers three towns, Bracknell Forest, Sandhurst, and Crowthorne, and includes the areas of North Ascot, Warfield, and Winkfield.
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 made four recommendations that the Inspectorate believes, if implemented, will have a positive impact on the quality of youth justice services in Bracknell Forest.
5. The report is available on the HM Inspectorate of Probation website on 05 March at 00.01.
6. HM Inspectorate of Probation is the independent inspector of youth justice and probation services across England and Wales.
7. Fieldwork for this inspection took place in November 2023.
8. For media enquiries, please contact Louise Cordell, Head of Communications 07523 805224 / media@hmiprobation.gov.uk (E-mail address)