Lewisham earns praise for work done to keep youths away from crime and re-offending

Lewisham’s Youth Justice Service has been rated as ‘Good’ by HM Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP).

The rating, announced this morning, represents a significant improvement for the service since the last full inspection report in December 2016, which identified several areas requiring improvement.

Since then, the service has transformed the way it operates and contributed to a significant decrease in young people becoming caught up in the criminal justice system.

Since 2017, there has been a decrease in the number of children and young people entering the criminal justice system in Lewisham, as well as in re-offending and the number of custodial sentences handed down.

HMIP inspected the Lewisham council-run service over a period of one week in June. In their report, inspectors comment on the ‘improvements in service delivery’ that have taken place at the ‘well respected and influential’ service since the last full inspection report.

In their 39 page judgement, inspectors observe that: “The service is well-respected and influential with its partners, and this has resulted in a range of services to support children, families, and victims.”

The report adds: “The therapy hub is impressive, co-locating a range of therapeutic and psychological professionals. Staff, managers, and volunteers are passionate about and authentic about improving outcomes for children, families and victims and leadership is invested in supporting their staff… [with an] extensive training offer, prioritisation of supervision, and access to clinical supervision”.

Inspectors also hail the service’s widely respected focus on anti-racist practice which is geared towards tackling the disproportionate number of young people from a black and ethnic minority background entering the criminal justice system.

Today’s inspection report comes after the council-run service won two prestigious national MJ Awards – most recently for its pioneering anti-racist work in 2023 and previously for transforming its Youth Justice Service in 2020.

Chris Barnham, cabinet member for children and young people, said: “This report is a huge vote of confidence in the innovative and successful work that is delivering real change for some of our most vulnerable young people. I’m pleased that the inspectorate found significant improvements to the service.

“Coming only a few months after Ofsted hailed improvements in our children’s services, this is yet further proof that we’re delivering on our commitment to giving our young people the very best possible start in life, whatever their circumstances.”

Pictured top: Staff from the Youth Justice Service in Catford (Picture: LB Lewisham)