AWARD WINNER 2023-24: Gill receives an Award for her “exceptional” leadership of Carmarthenshire Youth Justice Service – driven by an unstinting commitment to the needs of young people – turning a previously struggling service into one now widely acknowledged as an example of best practice across the sector.
[Gill’s Award is supported by Serco Justice & Immigration.]

Gill’s nomination

Gill was nominated by: John Aeron Rees (Head of Strategy And Learner Support, Carmarthenshire County Council).

Carmarthenshire Youth Justice Team, and the wider Youth Support Service are extremely fortunate to have Gill Adams as our Principal Manager.

Gill is a truly inspiring leader who is both compassionate and passionate about what she does to enrich the lives of young people and enable them to fulfil their true potential. Gill is an outstanding leader and an expert in youth justice. She has a national profile as one of the longest serving YOT managers in the UK and served as chair of the Welsh YOT managers group for a number of years and on the Youth Justice Blueprint Panel Board for Wales, National Hwb Doeth Board and the National Court User Group & Principal Youth Officers Group.

She is in a key role as Principal Manager of our Youth Support Service, which includes Youth Justice provision. Gill inherited a struggling, demoralised and disaffected youth service but, in the course of a few years, has been able to lead the service to be a self-evaluating and learning service that has attained Youth Excellence Awards and the Quality Mark for Youth Work in Wales at Gold Level, having progressed systematically through Bronze and Silver.

Furthermore, the Youth Justice Team is considered to be sector leading and received confirmation from the Youth Justice Board as being outstanding in respect of all self-assessed indicators. She ensures that diversity and disproportionality are also at the heart of youth justice practice. She cares deeply for the wellbeing of staff and service users, in order to promote a caring and compassionate working environment and culture within the organisation.

Gill brings a wealth of experience to the role, exemplifying robust leadership, innovation and empathy at all times. She is an effective mentor and has developed and supported staff who have moved to leadership posts within the service and in other local authorities. She is a passionate advocate of fairness for individuals, be it staff, children, families and victims, and fiercely proud of the achievements of the service, e.g. presenting at UK Level on the Enhanced Case Management Approach, a successful pilot in Carmarthenshire.

A focus on diversionary activity and desistance, creating a Youth Justice Substance Misuse Service, reducing First Time Entrants, and a comprehensive approach to out of court disposals have ensured that far fewer young people enter the criminal justice system than prior to Gill’s tenure as principal manager. A recent example of innovative practice was a reparation project to create benches and picnic tables, themed on local folklore, to be used in Europe’s largest youth festival. Police and Crime Commissioner, Dafydd Llywelyn said: “I am proud to support this activity that has provided a platform of positive upskilling activity for the young people of Carmarthenshire, who have been or at risk of being involved in crime”.

Gareth Morgans, Director of Education and Children’s services said, “Gill Adams is a valued member of the Education and Children’s Services Management Team. She is a professional, reliable, and highly experienced officer who effectively leads and contributes to the work of the County Council’s Youth Support Services. She is passionate about ensuring all children and young people succeed and have the best opportunities to overcome their challenges and issues”.

Gill led on the remodelling of our services and developed a service that provides a robust range of support from open access to specialised support, enabling children, young people and young adults from 8-25 years of age to access what they need, when and where they need it so that they can reach their full personal, social and educational potential. If an improvement can be made to the delivery of services to children, Gill is instrumental in making the change happen.

Aeron Rees, Head of Strategy and Learner Support and Gill’s line manager added, “Gill is an exceptional member of staff, whose dedication and application shines through in all aspects of her work. Her work ethic is second to none. She has a wonderful moral compass and she will always do what is right for children and young people in Carmarthenshire as well as the staff in her care.”

Jake Morgan, Chair of Carmarthenshire Youth Justice Management Board said, “In her time in Carmarthenshire, she has overseen a transformation in outcomes for young people reducing custody and charging levels for all offences. In doing so, the service has been able to focus on prevention and harm reduction with success at reducing harm in those at risk of drug overdose. There are countless young people whose lives have been transformed because of Gill’s dedication and commitment to the role.”

Kate Harrop, Partnership and Complaints Manager, Carmarthenshire County Council, said, “I believe that Gill is one of the most dedicated professionals I’ve seen in over 20 years of partnership working. She’s provided a strong direction to the service since she came into the role, is committed, always engaged in, and fully contributing to all community safety related discussions. Gill’s commitment to providing the best possible support and service to her clients, team, Board members and to the Safer Communities Partnership is inspiring and impressive.”

Angela Lodwick, Assistant Director for the Specialist Child and Adult Mental Health & Learning Disability Directorate, added: “I have worked alongside Gill for many years as a partner agency from the Health Board and throughout that time Gill has demonstrated a high level of dedication and commitment to her role which has never fluctuated or faltered. She has demonstrated this by supporting Board members and staff, not only in her own organisation, but staff from other agencies with a focus on putting the welfare of young people firmly at the heart of all she does.”

Quote from a child’s carer about the Youth Justice Team:
“The care and compassion of the staff has helped him to feel he had people in his corner. I have been very impressed and even moved by the care and interest shown to N.”

Quote from a member of staff:
“There are not enough adjectives to describe how inspirational Gill is as a person and manager…she’s exceptional! I cannot think of someone who has deserved this award more than Gill. An unsung, modest and incredible human being.”

In conclusion

All staff and stakeholders canvassed in lieu of this application are firmly of the view that Gill thoroughly deserves external recognition for her unstinting dedication to youth justice for many years and for her wider role as Principal Manager of Youth Support Service in Carmarthenshire.

As one manager put it, “Gill is simply the unassuming backbone of the Youth Support Service. The credit she deserves for building such a successful service and having the stamina and energy to deliver results, analyse data and listen to the views of staff and children is undefinable, and I cannot think of a more deserved, committed, and genuine manager and inspirational leader that deserves the accolade of a nomination for the Butler Trust Award.”