Youth service to be re-inspected
ACOUNCIL’S “inadequate” youth offending service will be re-inspected in December
The youth offending service in Cardiff will be re-inspected then to check the progress made after inspectors last month gave it the lowest possible score.
Inspectors said the service, which works with young people aged 10 to 17 to prevent youth crime, was “inadequate” and scored it 0 out of 36.
The shocking rating prompted Tory councillors in Cardiff to table a vote of no confidence in the council’s Labour administration, which the cabinet narrowly won.
Now, HM Inspectorate of Prisons has said it will return to look at the youth offending service on December 2, to see if the situation has improved. Inspectors will also most likely come back again next year.
Councillors on the children and young people scrutiny committee questioned those responsible for the service at a meeting on June 30.
Graham Hinchey, cabinet member for children and families, said: “Everything that can be done is being done, and at an accelerated pace and in a very short time.”
Since the inspection, Cardiff council has brought in a new independent expert to chair the youth justice board, Graham Robb, tasked with turning the service around and improving the way it’s governed.
Mr Robb said: “I’m really confident now that the governance structure is working well.” He said quick improvements can be seen on policies and processes, but it would take longer to see the benefits in areas like reducing reoffending rates.
Deborah Driffield, assistant director of children’s services, said she will interview seven candidates later this month to appoint a new operational manager to lead the youth offending service. Ms Driffield also said risk assessments will be improved; departments will communicate with each other better; and independent consultants Silver Bullet will be asked to again review the service, having previously done so last summer.
But doubts were raised about whether getting consultants back in will actually make a difference, as previous visits did not prevent the dreadful HMIP inspection.
Councillor Mia Rees said: “Before the inspection report, I counted five key times where issues were identified but not acted upon. I find that incredibly concerning.”
Councillor Stephen Cunnah said: “Although it’s a great response, it makes you question why that was not being done before. It’s five months now before HMIP comes back. That’s quite a short timeframe and there’s a lot there to put right.”