People working with young offenders have been given the highest score in an independent report.

Hertfordshire Youth Offending Team was given the “outstanding” rating by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.

The inspectors, who scrutinise youth offending and probation services across England and Wales, found Hertfordshire staff offered “excellent” support to young people in moving away from crime and antisocial behaviour.

Adding, staff were delivering high-quality service and had the interests of children and young people “at heart”.

Hertfordshire has one of the largest youth offending services in England and handles the second-highest volume of cases.

Chief inspector of probation, Dame Glenys Stacey, said: “We were impressed by the skilled and committed staff in Hertfordshire’s youth offending team.

“The standard of work was exceptionally high, particularly with children and young people who have been sentenced by the courts.

“Staff need to build trusting, challenging and supportive relationships with the children and young people they supervise. We were pleased to see this was the case in Hertfordshire, and that parents and carers were involved at every stage.”

Cabinet member for Children, Young People and Families, Conservative councillor Teresa Heritage, added: “I am delighted that Hertfordshire’s Youth Offending Service has been rated as 'outstanding'.

“I am especially pleased that our staff, who are integral to the success of the service, were commended for their ‘exceptional’ work to achieve the best possible outcomes for the children and young people they are supporting.

"We want every child and young person to have the opportunity to thrive and prosper in Hertfordshire; the results of this report will help us to continue improving the ways which we can offer those opportunities at what can be a very challenging time in a young person’s life.”

The inspection focused on leadership and service delivery, and work with those sentenced by the courts and out of courts.

The Inspectorate recommended the team work with police in deciding how children are dealt with outside the court system.