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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/dec/17/too-many-neets-in-croydon-youth-offender-system-say-inspectors
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| Too many Neets in Croydon youth offender system, say inspectors | Too many Neets in Croydon youth offender system, say inspectors |
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| Report calls for learning programmes to tackle lack of education and employment | Report calls for learning programmes to tackle lack of education and employment |
| Nearly a third of offenders aged 16 to 18 dealt with by London’s biggest youth offending service (YOS) are not in education, employment and training (Neet) – more than 10 times the proportion in the local population. | Nearly a third of offenders aged 16 to 18 dealt with by London’s biggest youth offending service (YOS) are not in education, employment and training (Neet) – more than 10 times the proportion in the local population. |
| HM Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP) said the Neet rate in Croydon’s youth offending service was 30%, compared with about 2.8% in the borough overall. | HM Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP) said the Neet rate in Croydon’s youth offending service was 30%, compared with about 2.8% in the borough overall. |
| The division is the second largest in England and Wales. Inspectors have recommended that the Youth Crime Board, which governs the work of the youth offending services, develop learning programmes that would reduce the number of Neets in the system. | The division is the second largest in England and Wales. Inspectors have recommended that the Youth Crime Board, which governs the work of the youth offending services, develop learning programmes that would reduce the number of Neets in the system. |
| The chief inspector of probation, Justin Russell, said: “A third of young people known to the YOS are not in post-16 education, employment or training. This is a much higher percentage than in the general population and needs to be addressed.” | The chief inspector of probation, Justin Russell, said: “A third of young people known to the YOS are not in post-16 education, employment or training. This is a much higher percentage than in the general population and needs to be addressed.” |
| The findings are reflective of the wider societal issues that play a role in youth crime, serious violence and gangs. The recent case of 14-year-old Jaden Moodie, who was stabbed to death by another teenager, highlighted such complexities, with both victim and perpetrator grappling with challenging life experiences. | The findings are reflective of the wider societal issues that play a role in youth crime, serious violence and gangs. The recent case of 14-year-old Jaden Moodie, who was stabbed to death by another teenager, highlighted such complexities, with both victim and perpetrator grappling with challenging life experiences. |
| Five hundred and 44 children and young people in Croydon were cautioned or sentenced in 2018 – more than 10% of the total for London. The borough has the largest population in London of children aged 10–17 (39,334), of whom 54% are from minority ethnic groups. A fifth of children are in low-income families. | Five hundred and 44 children and young people in Croydon were cautioned or sentenced in 2018 – more than 10% of the total for London. The borough has the largest population in London of children aged 10–17 (39,334), of whom 54% are from minority ethnic groups. A fifth of children are in low-income families. |
| The inspectorate report said there were high levels of vulnerability for adolescents, including exploitation, domestic abuse and going missing from home, care and education. | The inspectorate report said there were high levels of vulnerability for adolescents, including exploitation, domestic abuse and going missing from home, care and education. |
| Youth offending services supervise 10– to 18-year-olds who have been sentenced by a court or who have come to the attention of the police because of their offending behaviour but have not been charged. | Youth offending services supervise 10– to 18-year-olds who have been sentenced by a court or who have come to the attention of the police because of their offending behaviour but have not been charged. |
| The inspectorate concluded that the Croydon division “requires improvement”, though it said the issues were partly due to inadequate practices in children’s social care. Ofsted rated Croydon children’s social care inadequate in 2017, the report noted. | The inspectorate concluded that the Croydon division “requires improvement”, though it said the issues were partly due to inadequate practices in children’s social care. Ofsted rated Croydon children’s social care inadequate in 2017, the report noted. |
| Russell said: “At its best, joint work provides children with an effective safety net, with professionals taking timely actions to mitigate the identified risks to children. In other cases, we found that inadequate practice in the children’s social care department left the YOS in a difficult position in trying to keep children and the public safe, with the YOS having to manage these risk by themselves.” | Russell said: “At its best, joint work provides children with an effective safety net, with professionals taking timely actions to mitigate the identified risks to children. In other cases, we found that inadequate practice in the children’s social care department left the YOS in a difficult position in trying to keep children and the public safe, with the YOS having to manage these risk by themselves.” |
| The government has previously been warned that it cannot arrest its way out of the serious violence problem experienced in the capital and other cities as it looks to restore police officer numbers cut over the last nine years. | The government has previously been warned that it cannot arrest its way out of the serious violence problem experienced in the capital and other cities as it looks to restore police officer numbers cut over the last nine years. |
| The serious violent crime strategy, published in 2018, said violent crime, like other types of crime and antisocial behaviour, had a clear link to “poor life outcomes” including low educational attainment, poor health including mental health, unemployment, socio-economic factors, weak ties to family and exclusion rates. | The serious violent crime strategy, published in 2018, said violent crime, like other types of crime and antisocial behaviour, had a clear link to “poor life outcomes” including low educational attainment, poor health including mental health, unemployment, socio-economic factors, weak ties to family and exclusion rates. |
| A Croydon council spokesperson said: “We are working to ensure that all our young people aged 16-18 have access to high quality support to enable them to access and sustain education, employment or training.“We will continue to drive improvements across the board, and have developed an action plan in response to the findings of the YOS inspection.” |