A UN report outlining Britain as a bleak place for children has been dismissed by Barnet leaders as unrepresentative of youth in the borough.

Councillors and police said they "didn't recognise Barnet" in the UK Children's Commissioners' Report published this week, which condemned the UK for criminalising children and failing to provide adequate health and social services.

Despite a 19 per cent rise in youth offences committed in Barnet between 2005/6 and 2006/7, borough commander Stephen Kavanagh was positive about the borough's work with young people.

"From a local perspective I don't recognise the comments made suggesting children are in a bleak place.

"I am hugely proud of the balance that we have in the borough between enforcement and engagement.

"Yes, I am an old-fashioned copper in certain ways and youngsters involved in repetitive antisocial behaviour, serious assaults or burglary will be arrested and dealt with.

"But Barnet police lead the way in London, utilising restorative justice approaches and ensuring that minor offenders are still made to face the consequences of their acts without them entering the criminal justice system."

Councillor Fiona Bulmer, cabinet member for children's services, pointed to a recent Ofsted survey of youngsters' views as evidence that health and social services in the borough are better than the UN report suggests.

The November 2007 survey showed that above average numbers of Barnet children aged ten to 15 saw themselves as "very healthy" and "very or quite safe in the local area", and thought the activities in the area were "good enough".

Ms Bulmer said: "I certainly don't recognise this picture in Barnet.

"I think we celebrate young people's achievements and we have a very strong youth offending service. Custodial sentences are only ever given as a last resort.

"We have very good targeted youth support in our schools, and if a child is behaving in a way that might lead to them being exc-luded, we will talk through all possible problems.

"Barnet has a number of deprived areas and we do face challenges here, but we have proved we can deal with them effectively."

But Councillor Anne Hutton, Labour education and children spokeswoman, said youngsters were disaffected because of the lack of children's facilities in the area.

"I don't think we are a very child-centred country as a whole and children's rights are not taken seriously enough.

"Here in Barnet there is serious under-investment in youth services. There are not enough children's centres or facilities and youngsters are losing interest.

"Barnet council is getting the money, but the question is: what is it doing with it?"