Youth justice service needs improvement - watchdog

Cumberland YJS service works with children aged 10 to 17 with complex needs, with some youngsters in the care of the council

Inspectors have rated a service dealing with young offenders as "requires improvement", but praised leaders for their "unwavering commitment".

HM Inspectorate of Probation completed its first inspection of Cumberland Youth Justice Service (YJS) since Cumberland was established as a unitary authority in April 2023.

A report found there was "limited service provision", particularly for health services, but added there was "much to commend" within the facility.

Cumberland Council said it acknowledged the areas for improvement but said it was "proud of the progress made so far".

Cumberland YJS service works with children aged 10 to 17 with complex needs, with some youngsters in the care of the council.

The report found "some good arrangements were in place with the police, Probation Service and substance misuse services, however there was a limited service provision elsewhere, particularly in relation to health".

Inspectors observed a "high level of engagement from children and Cumberland YJS staff navigating the gaps in partnership arrangements to get good outcomes for children".

Work to promote desistance for children subject to out-of-court disposals was strong, the report added.

'Stable foundations'

The report made 10 recommendations, four being for the Cumberland YJS management board, which involved the understanding of members’ roles.

Another recommendation was directed at NHS North East & North Cumbria, to "ensure its statutory duty to provide relevant and timely physical, sexual, emotional, and mental health services to YJS children is fulfilled".

Chief inspector of probation Martin Jones said: "The significance and depth of the reorganisation of Cumberland YJS was vast, with the service and its newly formed board having to navigate and establish new partnerships and pathways at local and regional levels."

Mr Jones said there was "much to commend" the service on as it built on its "stable foundations put in place over the past year".

However he said the challenge would be for the board to "establish consistency and cohesiveness, to effectively translate strategy into strong service delivery".

Cumberland Council’s director of children and family wellbeing, Martin Birch, said despite the challenges of reorganisation, its team had "created a culture of collaboration and support, which has enabled the service to remain resilient and child-focused".

The council said it was "committed to working with all partners to build on the strengths identified in the report and ensure a cohesive, robust service that supports the most vulnerable young people in our community".