Newport Youth Justice Service (YJS) has received an overall rating of ‘Good’ following an inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.

Chief Inspector of Probation Martin Jones said: “Newport YJS has experienced significant challenges with changes to governance and leadership arrangements, absences of specialist workers and high workloads. To achieve a rating of ‘Good’, despite the adversity, shows the dedication of the staff and leadership to provide services which promote desistance and encourage aspirational outcomes for the children in their care.”

Inspectors were particularly impressed with the planning for children subject to out-of-court disposals. In all cases observed during this inspection, planning considered the child’s personal circumstances and practitioners were mindful of the child’s maturity and ability to engage with their intervention plans. Consultations with the speech and language therapist informed planning of interventions and several good examples of ‘child-friendly’ plans were seen.

Strengths-based projects to support desistance were observed which saw children spending time outdoors in constructive activities that ensured they were learning and developing skills whilst engaging in meaningful work in their communities. Sporting activities were routinely included in a child’s plan to encourage constructive use of time and the development of social and thinking skills.

Newport YJS have themselves identified their methods of reviewing a child’s progress as an area for improvement. Inspectors found new behaviours or allegations were not fully explored, assessed, and incorporated into general reviewing activity. In addition, examples were found where risk of harm and safety and well-being classifications had been reduced prematurely without sufficient evidence to demonstrate a sustained period of positive impact on the child’s life.

The report makes 10 recommendations to Newport Strategic Partnership Board and Newport YJS, including that they should improve the resourcing of the service by securing a probation officer, an education worker and working to obtain spaces appropriate for the YJS to undertake its work.

ENDS

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 11 July 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 February 2024.
7.  For media enquiries, please contact Head of Communications media@hmiprobation.gov.uk