My week - There's no hiding the underlying tensions

8 July 2008 1 min read Rod Morgan

Monday Late afternoon, having completed a chapter on youth justice for an edited collection to be published in the autumn, I head off to Westminster for a reception to mark 10 years since the foundation of the Youth Justice Board (YJB). It's hosted by Jack Straw and Ed Balls, who are introduced by Frances Done, my successor as chair of the YJB.

The ministers avow publicly that they are totally at one about the future direction of policy. Maybe so. But the body language and the sotto voce talk on the floor suggest, if not ferrets fighting in a sack exactly, there are major tensions between the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Children, Schools and Families. We shall find out when the Youth Crime Action Plan is published later this month.

Tuesday Kick off a sort of roundtable open day organised by the Bath Youth Offending Team and Bath Mentoring Plus, of which I'm president. It's held in the Egg, a small theatre. Before I say my bit, there's a performance by a local street dance group. They're really good and illustrate the amazing young talent that surrounds us. Why haven't I heard of them before?

Register Now to Continue Reading

Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits: