Youth justice service is praised after inspection
Work to keep children and young people in West Sussex out of the criminal justice system and reduce reoffending has been praised.
West Sussex Youth Justice Service has received an overall rating of ‘good’ from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation, with four areas of the service rated as ‘outstanding’.
It provides vital services to help prevent offending and reoffending by children in West Sussex, supports the victims of crime and provides opportunities to repair the harm caused by offending, as well as helping to protect communities.
The service is a partnership of statutory partners from West Sussex County Council (WSCC), Sussex Police, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, the Probation Service, the Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner, the Youth Justice Board and HM Courts and Tribunal Service.
The key findings from the report were: children receive a high quality, personalised and responsive service, staff are highly skilled and experienced, planning is well informed, assessments and interventions to divert children from the criminal justice system are outstanding, partnership working is good, there is strong leadership and governance both in management and in the Youth Justice Service management board and there is a consistent focus on addressing diversity,
Chief Inspector of Probation Justin Russell said: “West Sussex Youth Justice Service has all the hallmarks of a service which understands the needs of children under their supervision and is doing all it can to improve their lives and turn them away from further crimes.”