Voluntary organisations that support young offenders and their families need to have access to clearer, dedicated sources of funding, a report has concluded.
The study, by Chris Hough, a former teacher and Ofsted inspector from2001 to 2005, found that voluntary sector workers were seen asempathetic and approachable, in contrast with prison staff, whosebehaviour could cause anxiety.
Hough's research, which looked at social policies underpinning the EveryChild Matters agenda, found current guidance given to boys in prisonscould foster a "macho, confrontational" and "patriarchal" approach tolife that contradicted the aims of the strategy.
But according to Hough, despite the voluntary sector offering a"lifeline" to young offenders, there are not enough consistent lines offunding to enable it to be more involved.
