The team were awarded an Achievement For All Quality Lead award for its work to help young people with special educational needs who are in the youth justice system.
St Helens is one of just a handful of teams nationally to be given the award and it demonstrates the efforts of the team to offer help to some of the most vulnerable children in the borough.
The collaborative approach to working means that young people are supported in the right way dependent on their needs which means they are better engaged with the process of rehabilitation and creates better long-term results that will help to reduce reoffending.
Among the collaborative approach which helped the team gain the quality mark was targeted prevention work in schools with children with SEND, a new system which opened screening for dyslexia and other learning needs for children the service work with and extensive training for staff in working with children who have SEND to give them the best possible support.
Councillor Jeannie Bell, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, said: “This is an exciting and proud moment for the Youth Justice Service team and is a testament to the innovative and commitment from them to make a difference to young people’s lives. This service works with some of our most vulnerable young people and their work is crucial to help them understand how to make the right choices in life for themselves and the wider community and reduce the risk of them reoffending. This award means that those with special educational needs are getting the right support from us to make the positive changes for brighter futures, not just for themselves but the communities they are in.”
