Agenda item

Report ECHS19021

The Committee considered a report which provided Members with feedback and an update of progress made by Bromley Youth Offending Service in securing improvement and responding to the inspection findings.

In response to a question, the Head of the Youth Offending Service reported that in terms of staffing, the workers in the Youth Offending Service were specialist and there was a limited supply of workers with the specialist skills that were required.  There was a pool of people who worked via agencies and this resource would be utilised until it was possible to recruit permanent workers with the required skill set.  Within the last two years there had been a 75% turnover in staff.  All inadequate staff had now moved on from the service and those that were in post had the necessary competencies.  The Director of Children’s Social Care highlighted that the Service had been realigned to ensure that there was now an emphasis on qualified workers and this in turn increased the skill set of the Team.

The Select Committee requested that an updated structure chart be circulated following the meeting along with information concerning the number of cases held by each worker.

The Select Committee noted that the actual number of young people who reoffended was small and this number was reducing year-on-year.  A number of different interventions were being considered in order to reduce the risk posed by re-offending.

In response to a question concerning work with other Boroughs, the Head of the Youth Offending Service reported that there was a London-wide Officer Forum which met.  In addition to this best practice was shared across the London network.

In relation to restorative justice, the Head of the Youth Offending Service explained that there was an effort to make reparations more offence focused and youth offenders were encouraged to reach out to the Community.  Young people were also engaged in victim empathy work.

The Head of the Youth Offending Service explained that there had been good outcomes from the Liaison and Diversion provision and it was hoped that it would be possible to develop a Liaison and Diversion programme for the Borough in partnership with NHS England.

In response to a question concerning the ‘RAG’ report that had been circulated, the Head of the Youth Offending Service reported that there remained two ‘red’ actions outstanding.  One related to drawing up and putting in place a bespoke programme  to support parents, and the other concerned working with Bromley Y to review mental health services for young people.

The Head of the Youth Offending Service confirmed that once young people convicted of violent offences had received their sentence they were picked up by the Youth Offending Service directly from Court.  The Service then worked directly with the young person and saw them on a regular basis at the Youth Offending Service offices.  In relation to the support services aimed at knives and gangs, the Head of the Youth Offending Service reported that there were a range of initiatives as ‘one size did not fit all’.  It was agreed that a briefing note on this issue would be provided to the Select Committee following the meeting.

The Chairman and Committee thanked the Head of the Youth Offending Service for her update and noted a further update was due in October 2019.