Inspections make sure our statutory services meet basic standards of quality and safety ensuring the best possible support for those that require the use of those services. All inspections operate under an inspection framework to ensure a consistent approach.
Joint Targeted Area Inspection (JTAI)
This year a JTAI, evaluating the effectiveness of the multi-agency response to children aged 10 and over who are at risk of or affected by serious youth violence and/or criminal exploitation, took place in Leeds.
This onsite inspection took place from 4 to 8 March 2024. It was carried out by inspectors from Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP).
Since the end of the financial year the report has been published and overall, the findings were very positive, demonstrating strong safeguarding practice and partnership working.
The inspection found that most children in Leeds who are affected by serious youth violence and/or criminal exploitation benefit from an effective and well-coordinated multi-agency response. Strategic partnerships in Leeds are well embedded and mature. Strategic leaders across all agencies are invested in the partnership and in reducing the risks to children to make Leeds a safer city. Leaders have driven a clear, tiered response to address serious youth violence at strategic, tactical and operational levels.
There is a strong and coherent culture, based on a relational approach, trauma-informed work and the Leeds model of practice, underpins the partnership. Strategic and operational partners share the same principles, vision and values. There is a clear and mutually agreed focus on locally based early intervention and prevention. This includes a high level of engagement and consultation with children and families. This helps develop tailored and effective services and interventions informed by the communities and children throughout Leeds.
Numerous interventions and projects have been developed to support children at risk of serious youth violence and/or criminal exploitation and their families. Practitioners are astute and committed and many work relentlessly and passionately with children and families to reduce risks and inspire and divert children away from serious youth violence. Children’s diverse needs are considered, and services are designed to address the disproportionality of black and ethnic minority children involved in the criminal justice system, and additional vulnerability factors.
Areas of improvement are identified as part of any inspection. For Leeds, the JTAI reported only recognised three areas to improve. These were related to consistent and timely sharing of police protection notifications (PPNs) when police officers identify risks to children, waiting times for children to receive CAMHS assessments and therapeutic treatment, which is an issue at a national level and the frequency of multi-agency partnership auditing of children affected by serious youth violence, to inform a partnership learning and development.
The partnership is currently developing an action plan to address any the areas of learning, which will include the areas of improvement identified in the inspection report.
Inspection of Custody Facilities
In September 2023, an inspection of West Yorkshire Police custody facilities was undertaken jointly by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC), as part of the programme of inspections covering every police custody suite in England and Wales. The inspection included all five areas of the force, of which Leeds is one.
The inspection assessed the effectiveness of custody services and outcomes for detained people throughout the different stages of detention. It examined the force’s approach to custody provision in relation to detaining people safely and respectfully, with a particular focus on children and vulnerable adults.
The findings noted that the force has suitable arrangements in place to safeguard children and there are clear processes for frontline officers and custody personnel to make safeguarding referrals. If they have concerns about a child’s welfare, they use their professional judgment to submit public protection notice referrals to children’s social care.
There were some areas for improvement and recommendations, which related to Children and young people:
Custody officers should complete juvenile detention certificates when arranging local authority accommodation for children remanded in custody. In response A new joint protocol has been written and agreed between WYP, WYCA and the 5 Local Authorities. Audit work will be undertaken to measure compliance and any additional learning to support implementation.
The force should make sure children and vulnerable adults in custody receive prompt support from appropriate adults and record arrival times on custody records. This has been re-briefed to all custody inspectors and the central team will undertake audit work to ensure compliance.
The force should make sure it always completes public protection notice safeguarding referrals when required for children and vulnerable adults. As a response Leeds District are trialling a process where a PPN is submitted for every arrested child. This will be dip sampled and reviewed ahead of any full implementation across the police force.
PEEL Inspection (police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy)
The findings of the Peel 2023 – 2024 inspection for West Yorkshire police as yet to be published.
On a National police level, there are several inspections that have taken place which impact upon the police practice of safeguarding children and young people, with areas for improvement and recommendations that all forces must achieve.
An inspection of the effectiveness of the police and law enforcement bodies’ response to group-based child sexual exploitation in England and Wales recommended that by 31 December 2024, all chief constables should make sure that their forces have problem profiles for child sexual exploitation, each of which should include an assessment of the nature and extent of group-based child sexual exploitation. This should include relevant data from local partner agencies and should be updated frequently, at least annually.
In West Yorkshire it has been noted that there are good processes in place, however as work progresses opportunities for further improvements are identified, with progress continuing to the made in this area but the force and partnerships data is used to inform the quarterly threat assessment.
An inspection of race disparity in police criminal justice decision-making recommended that by 30 September 2024, chief constables should make sure that information from the Youth Justice Board summary disproportionality toolkit relevant to the force area is included in their force’s analysis of police criminal justice disparity. West Yorkshire police are engaged in embedding the race action plan, and work is ongoing to include the level of detail required.
An inspection of how well the police and National Crime Agency tackle the online sexual abuse and exploitation of children had several relevant recommendations.
By 31 October 2023, chief constables in England should satisfy themselves that their forces’ work with schools is consistent with the national curriculum and National Crime Agency educational products on online child sexual abuse and exploitation. They should also make sure this work is targeted based on joint analysis with their safeguarding partners. Work as already taken place in West Yorkshire and the force is reviewing the NCA products to view if there are any gaps or additional details which would be beneficial to include.
By 31 October 2023, chief constables and police and crime commissioners should make sure their commissioned services for children, and the process for referring them for support or therapeutic services, are available for children affected by online sexual abuse and exploitation. In West Yorkshire the Mayor’s office commission services to support those affected by online sexual abuse and exploitation.
By 31 July 2023, chief constables should satisfy themselves that they are correctly sharing information and making referrals to their statutory safeguarding partners in cases of online child sexual abuse and exploitation. This is to make sure they are fulfilling their statutory obligations, placing the protection of children at the centre of their approach, and agreeing joint plans to better protect children who are at risk. In Leeds there are robust information sharing processes in place with partners participating in strategy meetings to share information and support those affected. However, West Yorkshire police report that there is further work is ongoing in this area to further develop and safeguard those at risk.
Alternative provision in local areas in England: a thematic review
As part of a thematic review in England of alternative provision in local areas, an inspection in Leeds was undertaken in September 2023, under the framework devised jointly by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for use from 2023 and as part of a wider review.
The focus of the inspection was on alternative school provision and the working arrangements between the ICB and local authority, including the feedback of a survey of parents, young people and professionals.
The inspection was undertaken over a three week period, with inspectors onsite for 4 days, where they met with practitioners and groups of parents and undertook a deep dive on three cases.
The findings of the Leeds inspection were not published individually but an overall report was published in November 2023, based on the findings from all of the authorities who were part of the review. Overall, the findings were in line with Leeds self-assessment and the learning from the review is progressed through the SEND Partnership Board, with feedback to the LSCP Executive as required or requested.
Alternative provision in local areas in England: a thematic review - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Inspection of HMYOI Wetherby
An unannounced inspection of HMYOI Wetherby by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons took place between November and 7 December 2023.
The report noted that Wetherby is a complex young offender institution, housing children with a range of needs, including a Unit which is a national resource for the most vulnerable children, as well as a provision for a small number of girls.
Nationally there is not a coherent plan for caring for these girls and the accommodation of girls at Wetherby was only planned to be temporary. The report noted that the result has been pressure on staff who, while doing their best, have not had the training or do not possess the expertise to care for these girls, most of whom require specialist provision.
In terms of safeguarding, the HMIP section was recorded as “good”, where the expected outcome is: The establishment promotes the welfare of children, particularly those most at risk, and protects them from all kinds of harm and neglect.
It was noted that there is a dedicated team of staff making sure that good child safeguarding processes were in place, with joint triage by the child protection coordinator and designated social worker, to ensure that appropriate referrals were sent to the local authority designated officer (DO) within 24 hours.
The head of safeguarding held weekly meetings with the social work manager, who was also a member of the senior management team, and other internal managers to allocate actions. With scrutiny of referrals noted to be good, including a weekly meeting with the governor and quality assurance every two months by the DO who checked that the triage system was working appropriately.
Although processes were noted to be good, children were reported to have little confidence in them. In the survey undertaken as part of the inspection, only 37% said they would report victimisation by other children and 57% said they would report victimisation by staff. Eleven per cent said that they had felt too scared to make a complaint.
It was noted that since the last inspection there had been progress on the majority of the recommendations, however, there were still improvements to be made and the report outlined a number of priority concerns that were in need of urgent attention. An action plan has been developed by the leadership to progress the improvements required.
In view of the number and significance of the concerns highlighted in the report the LSCP have requested a meeting with the leadership team at Wetherby to establish how assurance can be obtained and what support maybe required. Updates on progress with the action plan will be presented to the LSCP Executive for consideration and oversight in July 2024.