'Lock-in' policy for youth clubs

By Ross Watson Thursday, 06 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

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.

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."