
The East Riding Youth Offending Service has been named Team of the Year at a prestigious national awards ceremony.
After becoming the first service in England and Wales to score full marks in an official inspection in 2019, it was one of the winners at the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards.
Last year, HM Inspectorate of Probation gave the service an overall ‘outstanding’ rating, awarding it the top rating for all 12 aspects of its work.
East Riding Youth Offending Service manager Samantha Matthews said:
“Winning, in a year when there were a record number of entries to the LGC Awards, is a great achievement and something we are all very proud of.
“The culture of teamwork is at the heart of everything we do, and was a key factor in our ‘outstanding’ inspection result last year.
“Working with colleagues from Humberside Police, the NHS and the Probation Service, our hard-working and dedicated team are determined to secure the best possible outcomes for the young people we work with.
“It can be challenging work, but there are great rewards and we are thrilled that our efforts have again been recognised on a national level.”
The LGC Awards were held as a virtual event on Wednesday evening, having been postponed from March because of Covid-19 restrictions.
The Team of the Year category saw 11 finalists and pitted the East Riding of Yorkshire entry against councils from as far afield as the North East, Devon, London and Northern Ireland.
At the start of the year, Samantha travelled to London to make a presentation to the judging panel about the Youth Offending Service’s successful work in the East Riding, with 10 to 18-year-olds who have either received a court sentence or who are being dealt with outside the court system.
Councillor Julie Abraham, portfolio holder for children, young people, education, health and social care at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said:
“I watched the online awards ceremony and was hugely proud to see the East Riding Youth Offending Service shortlisted alongside so many other excellent teams from around the UK. To see them win was tremendous.
“I congratulate all of those who have played their part in achieving such high standards in working with some of the most vulnerable children in our area.”