Youth Justice: Prison education scheme faces funding threat

The Entry to Employment for young offenders scheme is currently run in three areas of England following a successful trial in 2003-04. But the Learning Alliance, the group of organisation behind the project including Rathbone Training, Nacro and YMCA England, hasn't secured funding to continue the work beyond July.

Local learning and skills councils began to take over responsibility for delivering prison education in January this year. The transfer of responsibility from prisons is due to be completed in three areas of England by August, with the rest of the country due to follow next year.

Jon Gamble, director of adult learning at the Learning and Skills Council, said he was confident the scheme would continue and confirmed that the Learning Alliance hadn't bid for the work.