COMMENDEE 2023-24: Alison’s Commendation is for her work as Head of Hammersmith & Fulham Youth Justice Service: driving up standards in the management and care of young people; forging strong relationships with partner agencies; and achieving an ‘Outstanding’ rating for the service from HMI Probation.

Alison’s nomination

Alison was nominated by: Jacqui McShannon (Strategic Director of Children’s Services, Hammersmith & Fulham Council).

“We always say we’re here planting seeds. Sometimes you might see the green shoots, but sometimes you won’t know that that seed has grown into an oak tree until long after.”
– Quote by Alison Sabaroche

Akri Jones, agency staff member, contributed the following nomination:

Between February 2021 – July 2021, I was employed as an agency staff member, for the position of Out of Court Disposals Youth Justice Practitioner at Hammersmith and Fulham Youth Justice Service. During my time there, I had the opportunity to observe practice in excellence, a team committed to a child-first approach and making a difference for the lives of children, young people and families living in the Hammersmith and Fulham area.

I feel privileged to have this opportunity to nominate for this prestigious award, to celebrate and acknowledge the hard work of those working in the Youth Justice field. Working in this field is not easy at the best of times; it comes with a lot of hard work, long hours, challenges and times of stress, dedication and resilience.

Alison is all about seeing children as children and not only being focused on the youth justice side of things alone; Alison and her team work from the perspective of children first, offenders second. This practice is something that is shared with her management team, and that is reflected and encouraged for her staff/frontline practitioners to adopt as good practice when working with young people and their families. One of Alison’s priorities is the importance of using caring and compassionate language when working with young people; this helped with the engagement and participation of young people, which in turn, became a deterrence to re-offending. Alison promotes the identity of Hammersmith and Fulham Youth Justice Service as both strong and positive service within the community.

Alison is strong advocate of partnership working and networking to work with young people and families from a holistic perspective. Alison and her team maintain a close working partnership with Hammersmith and Fulham’s Children and Young People Services that makes it easier to focus on the specific issues facing young people in the Hammersmith and Fulham borough, where prevention is the key to diverting young people away from the youth justice system, and supporting young people at risk of becoming involved in exploitation or gangs activities.

Alison creates a working atmosphere that promotes capability and confidence amongst its staff, that empowers staff to excellence in their own practice, and delivering a service of excellence to the young people and families of the Service. Alison has a strong working ethos in investing in her staff and activities to prevent young people from coming into the youth justice service and for those from being more entrenched in the system.

In 2022, Hammersmith and Fulham Youth Justice Service received an overall rating of ‘Outstanding’ (the highest rating available) following an inspection by HM Inspectorate of Probation. Chief Inspector of Probation Justin Russell said: “Hammersmith and Fulham YJS is a dedicated, capable and confident service where children have every opportunity to move away from crime. We were impressed with how staff at the service work with children under their supervision, and their parents or carers, to understand their circumstances and drive them toward positive futures.”

Part of Alison’s practice is working closely with the local community, to help young people to become positive citizens within their communities.

This has been achieved by partnership with organisations within the community, where young people are able to access programmes, recreational activities, education, training and employment, that builds protective positive factors in their lives, on a long-term basis.

Alison and her team’s practice has had positive impacts in the Youth Courts too. Using the ‘Child First’ approach the service changed the format of its pre-sentence reports with the opening section of the report being about the young person first, and the offence discussed later. This helped give the Courts a better understanding of the young person, and sentence accordingly between the proposal from the Service and the decision made by the Court.

In closing, Alison is one of the most ‘incredible’ and ‘remarkable’ Heads of Service within the Youth Justice field. She is for the young people, who strives to make a difference in their lives. Alison’ s management skills are one of strength, goal-orientated, displays a sense of honesty and integrity, she listens to her staff and has strong working ethics that resulted in the Service been ranked as ‘Outstanding’ by HM Inspectorate of Probation in 2022.

Alison is so deserving of The Butler Trust Award. Alison is one of those you would call a ‘hidden hero’, and it is time that she is celebrated and acknowledged for all the good she has brought and done for Hammersmith and Fulham Youth Justice Service, it’s young people and families.

Jacqui McShannon, Strategic Director of Children’s Services at Hammersmith & Fulham Council, said:
This is a well-deserved nomination for Alison Sabaroche, which I am very pleased to endorse as a very accurate reflection of Alison’s leadership, passion and achievements. Alison’s approach to supporting the very best outcomes for children and young people involved in youth justice is strikingly determined, compassionate and innovative. As a black woman, Alison’s leadership synthesises the personal, professional, political and partnerships in a powerful alchemical energy of hope, change and transformation. Her ability to generate alliances, harness resources and encourage collective endeavour in service of young people is inspirational and exemplary. Her contributions to youth justice are very tangible and widespread: we are all lucky to benefit from Alison’s talent and skills: long may this continue.

In conclusion

Steph Roberts-Bibby, Chief Executive Officer, YJB, said:
Alison is quite simply brilliant, she has been Head of Service in Hammersmith & Fulham for a significant amount of time, her leadership is second to none, she has a deep understanding of what children need to prevent them offending, and at all times having an eye on the needs of the communities in which children live their lives and the role of staff who work with them. The recent Outstanding rating for a London service (which is no small feat) just amplifies all her ‘brilliantness’.