WORK in Cambridgeshire to reduce offending and help safeguard youngsters is above the national average, according to a new report.

An inspection of youth offending work in Cambridgeshire praises the county council as well as advising on areas of improvement.

The inspection made by HM Inspectorate of Probation focuses exclusively on the work undertaken by youth offending teams with children and young people who have already committed an offence.

Andy Smith, assistant chief inspector of probation, said: “We judged that the safeguarding aspects of the work were done well enough 83 per cent the time. With the public protection aspects, work to keep to a minimum each individual’s risk of harm to others was done well enough 73 per cent the time, and the work to make each individual less likely to re-offend was done well enough 85 per cent the time.

“Overall, we consider this a creditable set of findings. We found an enthusiastic, knowledgeable and committed group of staff who were keen to deliver a high-quality service and who understood the needs of the children and young people with whom they worked.”

The report also highlighted areas for improvement, including an increased focus on victim-based work to ensure that the voice of victims of youth crime is heard throughout the service.