In March this year Leeds had a Joint Targeted Area Inspection (JTAI) that focused on 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.
The inspection was undertaken by Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and HM Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP).
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 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, with numerous interventions and projects being developed to support children at risk of serious youth violence and/or criminal exploitation and their families.
Practitioners are noted to be 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.
There are several areas which are reported as strengths, they include:
- Strong multi-agency relationships with a shared vision and culture, both strategically and operationally, resulting in effective communication and effective partnership working.
- Collation and analysis of data across the partnership has informed a detailed strategic needs assessment and action plan.
- Targeted multi-agency interventions and projects across the city are helping to divert children away from youth violence and support children affected by criminal exploitation.
- Multi-agency formulation meetings provide a helpful insight into children’s risks, vulnerabilities and needs through a trauma-informed lens.
- The partnership’s ‘Project Shield’ includes daily multi-agency information-sharing to provide an immediate response when children have been affected by serious youth violence.
- Children at risk of significant harm from serious youth violence or exploitation are responded to through the risk outside the home (ROTH) pathway. The ROTH pathway enables partners to work under statutory child protection planning to effectively address risks and enable children and families to work in partnership with agencies using a non-blaming relational approach.
As with all inspections, there are identified areas for improvement, which the partnership will review and compile an improvement plan as a response.
The report can be viewed in full online on the Ofsted website.
One minute guide: Joint targeted area inspection - serious youth violence