Last week CYP Now revealed that a total of 11 allegations of sexual abuse were made by young people in the secure estate during 2013/14 – five allegations of sexual abuse by a member of staff and a further six allegations of sexual abuse by another young person.
Due to the fact the allegations emerged as a result of a survey of young people in the secure estate, the exact scale of the issue, and the veracity of the allegations made, is unclear.
However, neither the Youth Justice Board (YJB) nor the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), which manages young offender institutions (YOIs), have been able to supply information on how many official complaints have been made, whether allegations have been investigated and whether criminal charges and convictions have followed.
The YJB told CYP Now that allegations are reported at a local level and not recorded nationally.
A spokeswoman said establishments in the secure estate, secure children’s homes (SCHs), secure training centres (STCs), and YOIs, must report “any suspected or alleged cases of abuse or instances where a child is identified as having suffered, or is at risk of, harm” to their local authority – through the local safeguarding children's board (LSCB).
If a member of staff is suspected or involved, the establishment must also report this to the local authority's designated officer (LADO), whose role is to investigate concerns involving adults working with children.
The YJB said sexual abuse allegations only feature among the total number of child protection “referrals” made to local authorities from establishments.
Referrals cover a range of incidents and complaints made by young people about any aspect of their treatment in custody, such as being hurt by another young person in a fight or a complaint about an incident of restraint.
Latest available data shows that a total of 420 referrals were made by all under-18 YOIs, STCs and SCHs in 2013, compared with 644 in 2012.
“It is not possible to determine how many of these referrals relate to particular concerns, such as sexual abuse,” the YJB spokeswoman said.
NOMS, which is responsible for managing YOIs, said complaints of sexual abuse are treated with the “utmost seriousness”, and any allegations are thoroughly investigated.
"Every establishment must have arrangements with the local safeguarding children's board for dealing with incidents in which a child has or may have suffered significant harm, and these procedures are in line with each establishment's child protection policy.”
Police are currently continuing to investigate historic sexual abuse at a youth detention centre in Durham in the 1970s and 1980s, with more than 900 potential victims.
Meanwhile, the government has ordered an independent inquiry into historical child abuse.
