The Full Joint Inspection (FJI) is a two week fieldwork inspection, with a week in between – each week running from Monday lunchtime to Friday lunchtime.

It is undertaken at short notice, being announced, wherever possible to the YOT manager, on the Friday two weeks before fieldwork begins. The notice period gives enough time for inspection arrangements to be made, while ensuring that the YOT is inspected ‘as is’ without the opportunity for undue preparation.

HMI Probation leads the FJI programme. Partner inspectorates covering health, children’s social care, education and training, and police are full members of the inspection team and contribute to inspection judgements.

During the first week a team of inspectors from HMI Probation assesses the quality of practice in a representative sample of statutory cases that have been running typically for six to nine months. For the second week the inspection is joined by inspectors from partner inspectorates, to explore and further understand the findings from the first week and to assess the quality of partnership work. During this week one or more members of the inspection team will devote their time to meeting service users to assess their experience of working with the YOT.

We wrote to all Youth Offending Teams and local authorities to announce the start of the FJI programme.

FJI Programme Announcement Letter (PDF, 75 kB)

Framework and guidance

The framework provides further high-level details of the FJI programme.

FJI framework (PDF, 281 kB) – updated 23 February 2016

FJI framework – Cymraeg (PDF, 274 kB) – updated 23 February 2016

The guidance document is essential reading for the YOT manager as soon as an inspection is announced. It is also useful for those who wish to prepare contingency plans in case they receive an inspection.

FJI Guidance (PDF, 346 kB) – updated 17 October 2016

FJI Guidance – Cymraeg (PDF, 505 kB) – updated 19 October 2016

Inspection criteria

The inspection criteria set the boundary for what is included in the inspection fieldwork and informs the inspection judgements. All FJI inspections assess work against the core criteria.

FJI criteria – English (PDF, 329 kB),  updated 01 October 2014

FJI criteria – Cymraeg (PDF, 402 kB),  updated 01 October 2014

Each inspection will also include one or two additional inspection modules, chosen according to the reasons for undertaking the particular inspection. These will be published here as they become available.

FJI governance module criteria – English (PDF, 272 kB), updated 23 February 2016

FJI governance module criteria – Cymraeg (PDF, 327 kB), updated 23 February 2016

Inspection judgements

The inspection makes judgements against each of five inspection themes, plus any additional modules. The first four inspection themes are practice based. The final theme, governance, identifies key aspects of leadership, management and partnership work and provides a benchmark for the governance and strategic leadership found across the YOT Management Board and beyond:

• reducing the likelihood of reoffending
• protecting the public
• protecting the child or young person
• making sure the sentence is served
• governance.

The document below provides an overview of how inspectors reach their judgements on these, balancing all aspects of the inspection.

Judgements in FJI (PDF, 132 kB), updated 24 February 2016

Inspection report

After the inspection a report is produced for the YOT and local partners detailing the findings and identifying priority areas for improvement. This is submitted to Ministers and others, and is accompanied by a media release. It is also published in the reports section of this website.

The YOT is required to produce an improvement plan to be accepted by HMI Probation, in liaison with the Youth Justice Board (YJB). The YJB then monitors implementation of the required improvements.

Other information

For further information about the involvement of Ofsted inspectors in inspections in England please visit www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/conducting-full-joint-inspections-of-youth-offending-work .