'Lock-in' policy for youth clubs

By Ross Watson
Children & Young People Now
6 November 2008

Somerset County Council is considering introducing a "lock-in" policy in all youth clubs in the area for children under 13.

Young people from Somerset Youth Service

Young people from Somerset Youth Service

The policy, currently in draft format, states that all young people aged 11 to 13 must be at the youth centre all the time during the hours specified by the centre. If they leave the centre during these hours, they will be banned from re-entering.

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Doug Nicholls, general secretary of the Community and Youth Workers' Union, has seen the draft policy and believes the move represents the work of someone "with no understanding of youth work". He argued that it goes against the professional principles of youth work, whereby staff make their own rules. "It's the first time I'm aware of any policy like this ever being attempted in youth centres from the top in this way, and it won't work," he said.

Somerset Youth Service has recently lowered the minimum age for its services from 13 to 11. However, Nicholls claims youth workers have not been given an increase in resources to correspond with the increase in the numbers of young people they are expected to work with. He said: "If a policy like this were delivered, there would need to be a significant increase in staffing to keep a register while others get on with youth work."

One youth worker from Somerset said: "We don't want to get into a situation where we're policing the building. We're youth workers and that's what we should be doing."

Elizabeth Piecha, area manager for partnerships and strategic lead for integrated youth services at the council, said: "We're currently exploring our policy in relation to duty of care. There is a draft policy but it is confidential at this stage."

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Posted Comments

Susan Evans - 10 November 2008

What happened to choice?  Young people attend youth clubs voluntarily.  For health and safety reasons (in case of fire, for example), they should sign out and back in, but I wouldn't want to force young people to stay all session, or refuse them re-admission; and, as a parent, I would be appalled if I thought my children had not been supported to make their own choices.  Isn't developing the skills to make informed choices a fundamental part of a youth work?curriculum

Tony Pretty - 6 November 2008

Is Somerset looking for a childminding service for the 11 to 13 age group on the cheap at the expense of providing a well resourced and properly managed Youth Service or just looking to close their Youth Service via another rout that could lead to a service that is ready to be franchised out to the private sector?

This policy has no understanding of the Youth Work Policies or Principles so are those responsible for developing this idea 'Fit for Purpose' when it comes to the management and delivery of the County Youth Service thus once again compelling rather than educating young people to develop in THEIR social time! Those Officers responsible for even looking at such a policy should resign as they lack the basic understanding of the Youth Service and thus their wider responsibility of 'Duty of Care' for the youth service is questionable.

Peter Harwood - 6 November 2008

This continues the lock-up mentality of some "adults" who continue to look at our young people as a sub species. No wonder we find many are seriously disillusioned and disaffected.

Janet Stovold - 6 November 2008

This is absolutely atrocious. Why is it so many pyschotic control freaks are allowed to get into these positions of power. Youth groups are there for socialization and fun. Youth workers are there to facilitate this, not to act as a form of police force. We used youth clubs and often left to find a friend and ask them to join us - all we had to do was have our hand stamped to prove we had paid to get back in.