Inspectors condemn Rochdale Youth Offending Team after 'falsification' of files

Rochdale's youth offending team is being closely watched by Government inspectors amidst claims that it falsified reports ahead of an official inspection.

Evidence suggests that the Rochdale team made cover-ups and issued false files to inspectors in the hope of hiding its poor performance.

Andrew Bridges, the government's chief inspector of probation, said that his team of inspectors could not give any 'headline scores' for the Rochdale team for safeguarding and public protection work when they visited in May because of a lack of confidence in the evidence of case records.

The inspectors looked at 40 case files during their visit. They said they had been given 'late access' to half of them, in at least six an earlier date had been given than the date the actual report was filed, and there was evidence that staff had been instructed to 'prepare' files ahead of the inspection.

Mr Bridges said that the falsification of files may have resulted in artificially high scores for the service, and that, even so, the Rochdale service required 'at the very least, substantial improvement'.

The government may now send a team of specialists to intervene with Rochdale's failing service.

The Rochdale Youth Offending Team has now installed measures to make sure that all assessments are now put on its database immediately.