Emmerdale has millions of fans glued to the screens every week - but there is one man keeping an extra close eye on the plot lines.
As assistant operations director for South Tees Youth Offending Service, Phil Hampton is keen to see how young offenders and the service are portrayed in television dramas.
However, on the storyline involving teenager Belle Dingle who killed her best friend Gemma, he has no need to be concerned as he has led the work on ensuring production staff know how it would work in “real life”.
He was surprised to get a call “out of the blue” from the ITV1 show’s production staff but was happy to work closely with the team to make sure Belle’s release from custody was “accurately portrayed” and in “the right sequences”.
“They contacted me in July last year,” said Phil, who has worked for the youth offending service since it was set up in 1998 and for Middlesbrough Council for 30 years.
“They have asked me about different scenarios, what would happen, how long they are supervised for, how much contact the service has with them.
“Someone like Belle would be under ISS - intensive supervision and support. Essentially they would be seen every day either by the case manager or support worker - 25 hours a week minimum. If they were in full-time education then that would be a large portion of the supervised hours.
“The production would ring to check and doublecheck.”
He said some scenarios - which involved Belle reoffending - were discussed which have not been included in the programme.
“We have got to realise it’s a drama, a piece of fiction so you expect some artistic licence but I’ve been happy with how they have portrayed what would happen. The only difference is how quick things happen.”
He said the team has a forensics CAMHS (child and adolescent mental health service) nurse so if a mental health issue is highlighted - as in Belle’s case in Emmerdale - they work closely so the young person is helped quickly.
“Belle was self-harming and considering suicide,” he said. “So I referred them to our CAMHS nurse Michael Taylor so they could speak to him.”
South Tees Youth Offending Service believes in the Restorative Justice system which brings victims and perpetrators face to face.
“It’s a positive experience for both,” he said. “We would manage some kind of contact in a controlled environment which would be supervised. This is so the victim can say how it (the crime) affected them and their family and life and the young person can say ‘I’m sorry and I’ve learned’ and explain the situation which led to the crime.
“Some people think it’s a soft option but I think it’s a really difficult thing to do.
“For the young person it’s a very hard thing to do, to look at themselves and their victim. It has a strong effect on young people.”
He said he was happy with how Emmerdale has portrayed the youth offending service.
“It’s vital for TV programmes to get it right. If it’s not done properly it reinforces the perception that offenders are getting away with it and that’s not the case.”
Councillor Jean Sharrocks, Middlesbrough Council’s executive member for children’s social care, said: “South Tees YOS engagement aims to ensure an accurate reflection of the criminal justice system for young people and promote the positive impacts of restorative working for both victim and perpetrator.”
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