Agenda item

Consideration was given to the report presented by the Head of the Integrated Youth Support Service and the Head of the Youth Offending Service (Integrated Youth Support Service, Schools and Lifelong Learning, Children and Young People’s Services) that outlined efforts taking place to establish the quality of service offered, the quality of case recording, the implementation of previous inspection recommendations, governance arrangements and customer satisfaction with the Youth Offending Service.

The Youth Offending Service had recently been restructured and, from 1st July, 2013, had become part of the Integrated Youth Support Service (IYSS).

The Head of the Youth Offending Service outlined the data-set that the Service was externally assessed on.  It made quarterly submissions to the Youth Justice Board who validated the data and provided Rotherham with a statistical and national neighbour comparator data set. 

Broadly, the three main areas that Youth Offending Services were judged on were: a reduction in the first time entrants into the justice system, reduction in custodial rates and a reduction in the rate of offending and re-offending. 

Currently Rotherham was performing well against all measures and was above target and comparatively well-performing when compared to national and statistical neighbours.  The Youth Justice Board used the data returns to plan and prioritise HMI visits of inspection.  Rotherham’s rating was currently ‘green’ and had been for some considerable time; based on its current performance, Rotherham was not prioritised for a service inspection. 

A previous inspection of the Youth Offending Service that had been undertaken a year ago and an Action Plan had been created to improve against the inspection outcomes.  The inspection had raised issues relating to case assessment and the planning of risk.  The Action Plan had been undertaken by Children and Young People’s Services’ Performance and Quality Team, which were independent from the Youth Offending Service.  Progress against the resultant Action Plan had been monitored by the Children and Young People’s Services Improvement Panel.  Progress made had been positive and the Improvement Panel were ready to sign-off the document.  It was proposed that the Youth Offending Service’s performance continue to be monitored against this Action Plan by the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cohesion and the Safer Rotherham Partnership. 

The Service had commissioned a piece of work with the Voice and Influence Team. Work will be started to gather feedback from a sample of young people and their parents and carers to assess outcomes and their satisfaction with the Service.  This would be done in conjunction with the Voice and Influence Officer in the Integrated Youth Support Service and the Performance and Quality Officer.

Discussion ensued and the following issues were discussed: -

·         The IYSS’s Drugs Worker’s role in prevention and early intervention activities with the Service’s customers;

·         How the full IYSS was working in an integrated way to help the Youth Offending Service’s customers to access pre-employment skills and training and diversionary activities and opportunities. 

Resolved: -  (1)  That the report be received and its content noted.

(2)  That quarterly Youth Offending Service performance updates and progress made against the Service’s Action Plan be reported to the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cohesion.