My colleague Jim Hopkinson who heads up the Leeds Youth Offending Service sent me this e-mail today...

"Dear Chris, Leeds Youth Offending Service is subject to an annual evaluation of its Capability and Capacity by the Youth Justice Board. This is a robust and comprehensive audit of our performance and activities across the entire range of our responsibilities and activities. I am delighted to report that the for the third consecutive year Leeds YOS has been assessed “excellent”. We understand that we are the only Youth Offending Service in the Yorkshire and Humber region to have achieved excellent status. In arriving at their validation, the Youth Justice Board commented on clear evidence of outstanding partnership arrangements across Children’s Services, Safer Leeds, the Courts, West Yorkshire Criminal Justice Board and the third sector. The award of excellent status is not only a reflection of comprehensive partnership working but is also a testament to the continued hard work of Youth Offending Service staff, at every grade, who consistently go the extra mile to ensure that they achieve the best possible outcomes for young people, their families and victims of crime. as with last year our partnerships with the various sections of Education Leeds were particularly seen as noteworthy by the YJB in arriving at their excellent assessment of Leeds YOS. The relationship with Education Leeds goes from strength to strength and Wendy Winterburn and her team are passionate in the work they do with Leeds Youth Offending Service to ensure no child is left behind.The support and dedication of Education Leeds staff is fantastic - but then I am not telling you anything you did not already know! Regards, Jim."

This is a wonderful achievement by Jim and his colleagues who do a brilliant job working with some of our most challenging young people to ensure that they are happy, healthy, safe and increasingly successful... whatever it takes.
Chris