Young offender education has been the subject of fierce criticism, proposed reform, and, ultimately, inaction in recent years.
However, a major review of the youth justice system is now promising to put education at the heart of the secure estate.
The review comes as the latest figures show the number of GCSE passes achieved by under-18s in young offender institutions (YOIs) fell from an already-paltry 232 in 2009/10 to just 119 in 2010/11.
Meanwhile, figures released in parliament last month reveal the average number of hours spent in education or training each week by young people in public sector YOIs dropped from a peak of 19.9 in 2009/10, to 17.7 in 2011/12.
Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, says the drop in hours spent in education is symptomatic of the ongoing squeeze on budgets and staffing levels.
He argues that all young offenders should be entitled to a full-time programme of education, equivalent to that on offer in local authority-run secure children’s homes, which are duty-bound to provide 30 hours of tailored education each week.
Difficult challenge
“There needs to be a radical rethink of what the estate looks like and how to meet children’s educational needs,” he says.
“We would like to see the level of provision in secure children’s homes replicated across all establishments. But whether there is money to get YOIs up to that is a really difficult challenge.”
In YOIs, teachers deliver “rolling courses” that last for between six and eight weeks, on the basis that many young people serve relatively short sentences, Neilson says. But this means classes are not tailored to meet individual young people’s needs.
“Small class sizes and more one-to-one work obviously costs a lot more,” he says. “But a child’s needs should be individually met, so they can get accreditations that mean something.”
Nina Champion, head of policy at the Prisoners’ Education Trust, says classroom-based learning to enable young offenders to gain GCSEs and A-levels must be improved. But she insists that there is also a need for “more engaging activities” to “provide a hook for reluctant learners”.
She cites the success of sports-based learning projects carried out at Ashfield YOI in Bristol and Portland YOI in Dorset, and a motor mechanics project at Cookham Wood YOI in Kent.
“There are lots of examples of good practice in providing engaging learning in YOIs,” she says. “However, there are often long waiting lists for these activities and more could be done to expand provision of this type.”
Champion adds that any review of education in the youth justice system must involve young offenders in a “meaningful way”.
“All YOIs should have a learner involvement strategy and offer participation skills training to people to enable them to develop an understanding of citizenship, and give them the communication skills necessary to be a student representative,” she says.
Education improvements
Some YOIs are attempting to improve education by offering “release on temporary licence opportunities” for young people keen to engage in education after leaving custody.
Jim Rose, director of social care at the Fostering Foundation, and a former manager of both a secure children’s home and a secure training centre, says relationships with education providers outside the secure estate must be improved. He adds that local authority-run secure homes typically have better links with schools than YOIs or secure training centres, adding weight to the view that all young offender education should eventually be commissioned at a local level.
“There is a real disconnect between the secure estate and community provision,” he says.
“A lot of young people do quite well in the secure environment because they respond to the structure and routine. But there is no continuity when they leave. Continuity and resettlement plans need to be worked on from an early stage.”
A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman says the review of the youth secure estate will address the issue. “We are considering responsibilities for education contracts,” she says. “No decision has yet been reached.”
As well as education, the review will examine cost, capacity, workforce skills and safeguarding issues.
Young offender education
The Teaching Agency (TA) is currently responsible for learning and skills in public sector young offender institutions (YOIs) and secure training centres.
Provision is managed by the agency’s Offender Learning and Skills Service.
A total of 10 contracts are in place in YOIs.
For instance, Manchester City College is the provider for Hindley and Wetherby in the North West, while Kensington & Chelsea College provides education at Feltham YOI in West London. Education in secure children’s homes is provided by the local authority responsible for the unit.
The previous government planned to end central commissioning of young offender education by shifting responsibility to local authorities. The move was put on hold by the coalition government.
The whole youth secure estate is now subject to review.
