Inspection recognises strengths and areas for improvement
Tameside Youth Justice Service has welcomed a recent inspection that recognises strong support for children and families while identifying areas where further improvement is needed.
The inspection by HM Inspectorate of Probation in August 2026, rated the service as ‘Requires Improvement’ overall, reflecting both the strengths of the service but also the need for greater consistency in some aspects of practice.
Tameside Youth Justice Service works in close partnership with Greater Manchester Police, the Integrated Care Board and a wide range of statutory and community partners to deliver coordinated, child-centred interventions that improve outcomes for children, young people and their families.
In their report published today (13 October), inspectors highlighted a number of positive findings, including the strong relationships practitioners build with children and families, excellent specialist support services, a strong culture of participation and positive outcomes for young people.
The report found that children and families feel listened to, respected and involved in decisions about their support. Inspectors also praised the service's trauma-informed approach, specialist speech and language support, and focus on helping young people access education, training and employment opportunities.
Inspectors recognised that there was “an openness, transparency and willingness to learn at all levels, combined with an aspiration for high-quality delivery to children, families and victims. Senior leaders knew their service well and a strengthening in stability and strategic grip meant there were foundations on which to build consistent effective practice.”
They noted that “practice to achieve positive change across assessing, planning, and delivery was a significant strength, achieved by skilled practitioners who formed trusted relationships and focused on building strengths.”
The inspection recognised the service's focus on meaningful participation, including opportunities for children and young people to influence recruitment, service design and future developments.
A further strength identified in the report was the recent improvements in leadership stability and strategic oversight have created strong foundations for continued improvement.
The report included positive feedback from children, parents and carers, who described staff as respectful, supportive and committed to helping young people make positive changes in their lives.
Importantly, the inspection recognised that rates of reoffending are significantly lower than national averages and that custody rates remain low, reflecting the effectiveness of the service's prevention and diversion work.
However, inspectors identified areas where improvements are required, particularly in how safety concerns relating to victim and communities are assessed, planned for and delivered. The report found that while safety concerns were often identified, they were not always sufficiently explored leading to inconsistencies in the quality of assessment, planning and delivery and management oversight.
Improvements in these areas are required to ensure the safety of victims and the wider community remains at the forefront of the partnership working and service delivery.
Tameside Council and its Youth Justice Service and partners are already taking action to address the report’s recommendations.
Tameside Council Executive Member for Children's Services Cllr Teresa Smith said: "I welcome the inspection and the valuable feedback it provides. The report recognises the dedication, skill and commitment of our staff and partners, who work tirelessly to support some of the most vulnerable young people in our borough. I’m particularly pleased that inspectors highlighted our strong relationships with children and families, our specialist support services and the positive outcomes being achieved for many young people.
"We fully acknowledge the areas where improvements are needed. Keeping victims and communities safe must always be a priority, and we are committed to strengthening our practice in those areas identified by inspectors. We have already begun work on a comprehensive improvement plan with our partners to address the findings, strengthen management oversight, improve information sharing and ensure risks are assessed and managed consistently.
“I want us to always do our very best for children in Tameside and we remain committed to working with our partners to deliver the highest standards of support for children, protecting communities and helping young people make positive changes to their lives."
Tameside Superintendent for Greater Manchester Police, Arif Nawaz said: “We welcome the findings from the recent inspection by HM Inspectorate of Probation. As a district we work closely with the Youth Justice Service to improve police practice regarding victim consent and the quality of information share.
“Knowledge sharing is a key part of this working relationship and we have a shared priority across the partnership to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families. We remain committed to ensuring young people receive the right support at the right time to ensure they move away from offending and towards a positive future for our communities across Tameside and beyond.”
The inspection recommendations focus on strengthening partnership working, improving information sharing between agencies, enhancing work with victims, improving community safety assessments and further embedding effective management oversight.
Tameside Youth Justice Service will now work closely with partner organisations, including Greater Manchester Police, education, health and children's social care services, to deliver the improvements identified in the report.