West Berkshire has seen increases in child truancy, school exclusions, use of drugs and antisocial behaviour.

Startling figures revealed by the youth justice team in West Berkshire show dramatic increases in truancy, school exclusions, use of drugs and antisocial behaviour.

But the number of children entering the youth justice system has dropped.

In 2023, 100 boys committed 157 offences, which is lower than 2022.

But girls offending is now on a par with the boys.

Violence is the biggest reason for both boys and girls youth offending, although the service reports this has lessened compared to last year.

During 2023-24 there were three children who committed four offences of robbery and drugs supply.

All children received a community order.

During this period there were seven children with seven knife possession/offensive weapon in a public place.

Statistics shown in the Youth Justice Plan for next year show truancy increased from 37 per cent to 68 per cent.

Use of drugs went up from 29 to 38 per cent.

Sixty-six of those young people in the system reported parental abuse, compared to 54 per cent the previous year.

The figures from the community resolution, turnaround and prevention cohort also recorded that 71 per cent of those under its wing had parental divorce.

The youth justice team has said 21 parents were supported via a group and five parents were supported individually, and that children and their parents have been supported to have restorative conversations together to address behaviour at home.

There has been a 15.6 per cent decrease in the number of children receiving either a community resolution from the courts, from 173 in 2022 to 146 in the current reporting period.

The probation service rated West Berkshire’s youth justice team as outstanding.

It said managers paid close attention to staff safety and wellbeing, which built confidence and resilience across the service.

Staff received regular one-to-one and group supervision, and this enabled them to learn and improve the quality of the services they delivered to children.

All staff reported that the quality of supervision was ‘very good’.

Training and development opportunities were varied, and staff were encouraged to participate in them and progress into other roles.