On the surface, Ongar appears an unlikely site of innovation. Sometimes known as Chipping Ongar, the sleepy market town in the Essex countryside has relatively few claims to fame: it features in a Will Self novel, boasts an aged wooden church and was once home to the furthest London Underground station north-east of the capital. But on one of the town's pleasant residential streets, a children's home, virtually indistinguishable from the houses surrouning it, plays a key role in a unique initiative.
Every month a new cohort of student officers starts training with Essex Police. During their 35 weeks of training they do three three-day community-based placements - these are based in a variety of different local settings, such as youth offending teams, social services, schools and colleges, elderly day centres and mental health bodies - which are designed to give them as wide a set of experiences as possible.
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:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
