Salford Youth Justice Service – AQA Unit Award Centre
Summary:
Salford Youth Justice Service has become an AQA unit award centre to address the barriers to children achieving education outcomes. There are various AQA accredited awards, at different levels, that children can achieve through interventions with the service. The service promotes Child First as interventions are co-created with children.
Description:
Children in Salford achieve AQA accredited awards through the work they do with Salford YJS. AQA units are embedded and integrated into the induction sessions, offending behaviour modules and programmes so children achieve them alongside their support from the service. Children also have the opportunity to opt into additional awards through Salford’s constructive leisure activities and life skills sessions. All the interventions delivered in Salford are created and evaluated collaboratively with children. Delivery is tailored to suit the individual needs of the child.
Children involved in the youth justice system are more likely to be detached from education, training and employment (ETE), have poor educational attainment levels, and greater educational needs when compared to children in the general population. AQA unit awards offered through interventions and support from Salford YJS helps to promote children’s self-esteem, achievement, employability and confidence as they move into education, training and employment. Collaboration with children to create and develop the AQA accredited awards ensures sessions are meaningful and accessible.
Outcomes:
The YJB visited Salford YJS on a practice discovery visit in October 2024.
Since March 2024, 104 children have achieved 329 AQA awards. The service has also developed 10 new AQA unit awards this year, which have been moderated and approved by AQA and are now available on the AQA website for other services to use. In some cases children have been able to use their AQA awards to access further education, training and employment.
Salford’s 2024 HM Inspectorate of Probation inspection report notes: “The YJS has an excellent offer for children to gain AQA unit awards for their education, training, and employment portfolio. The service is an AQA unit award centre and there are various awards, at different levels, that YJS children can achieve through their interventions with the service.”
Contact:
| Name | Lee Matthews, Head of Service |
| lee.matthews@salford.gov.uk |