Inner-London youth justice service praised by HM Inspectorate

18 October 2023

Southwark Council has been praised for its service for children who have been involved with crime. Latest statistics show that Southwark has a lower reoffending rate than the national average, and lower than London.

Youth crime is falling according to the most recent Government statistics, which show that the number of children who received a caution or sentence has fallen by 13 per cent in the past year, first time entrants has decreased by 10 per cent from the previous year, with a 79 per cent fall over the past ten years.

In Southwark, a similar pattern is clear with our own statistics showing a decrease in reoffending with our figures below London, ‘family’ (boroughs like Southwark) and national rates*. Southwark now has comparatively low levels of youth violence and no child has died from violence committed by another young person in the past three years.

This week, a report from HM Inspectorate of Probation has deemed Southwark’s Youth Justice Service ‘good’ overall and ‘outstanding’ in six areas, bucking the trend for London.

Commenting on the service, Interim Chief Inspector of Probation Sue McAllister said: “There’s a genuine community spirit about Southwark Youth Justice Service. From the staff to local volunteers to the children themselves, there is support for the service’s work and an ambition to succeed. Each child has access to programmes to help them develop and deter them from offending, and there is comprehensive support for them, their families, and victims of crime.”

Inner-city boroughs, especially those in the capital, are no strangers to crime. Historically, younger criminals have been painted as dangerous, antisocial or even fearsome. But for many years, Southwark has been working to change perceptions and support those who are victims of crime – both those on the receiving end, and those committing crime, who are also exposed to crime by adults.

Youth offenders are aged between 10 and 17, and in law, and in reality – they are children. Children who Southwark’s youth offending service has long believed, need nurture, support, direction and guidance as they grow into adults, to keep them safe from exploitation and criminality committed by adults.

Councillor Jasmine Ali, Deputy Leader and cabinet member for children, education and refugees, said, “This report shows that all the ongoing passion and commitment to supporting children who have become caught up in criminality has come to fruition. We know that it takes a village to raise a child, and those who are nurtured and cared for by specialist services and the whole community have the chance of a safer path in life which could lead to good jobs, security and happiness for them. I am immensely proud of the youth justice team and all their excellent work. This glowing report spells it out – because of this service, children’s lives have changed for the better.”

The success is largely due to a ‘child-centred’ approach where children are appropriately described and looked after so their needs are met. Services are ‘trauma informed’ where the child and family’s experiences are listened to and accounted for with the right clinical and support interventions. Early help is exactly that; support at the most crucial time when families need it, before things get worse. This ‘public health approach’ looks at the person’s needs holistically and puts services in place which prevent reoffending.

More police interaction has also led to positive results and prevention of crime. This involves discharge to the council’s care where it can surround children with support. A strong focus on mental health care for young people with the creation of the Nest, a dedicated mental health support unit for children, and a focus on keeping children in formal education with Southwark’s Inclusion Charter have made significant inroads in preventing crime committed by children. These, combined with a wide range of services, interconnected with the community mean that at every turn, children have the best chances to be safe, cared for and succeed in life.

Report highlights: what has worked and what did the report praise?

• Staff are skilled and knowledgeable. There is a clear drive to encourage people from the local community and those with lived experience to be involved with the service and this is reflected with a richly diverse workforce.
• The quality of the partnership arrangements was a strength and includes a range of voluntary and community organisations alongside statutory agencies.
• Health provision for the YJS is of a high-quality. A clinical team which provides psychological and systemic consultations collaborates with YJS specialist workers.
• There are several projects and programmes which demonstrate the commitment to innovation and the YJSs strong desire to deliver the most effective services. These include a range of reparation projects which are available to all children, and exceptional mentors are utilised to support children and help them to engage.

Page last updated: 18 October 2023