Funds for youth prison social workers in disarray
Neil Puffett
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
The future funding of social workers in young offender institutions (YOIs) has been cast into doubt after attempts to get local authorities to club together to pay for them have failed.
A total of 25 social worker posts were created in YOIs in England andWales in 2005 as part of a scheme originally funded by the governmentand the Youth Justice Board.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) announced lastJanuary that responsibility for the costs would be shifted to localauthorities from April 2009.
The Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS) subsequentlylooked to set up a collective funding agreement to split the costsbetween local authorities.
But John Harris, chair of the ADCS families, communities and youngpeople committee, has admitted this arrangement will not now operatebecause too many councils were unable to make the financialcommitment.
In a letter to directors of children's services, he said: "ADCS remainscommitted to securing long-term funding for the scheme and will be goingback to central government to put the case for central funding."
The ADCS is urging councils to continue funding social workers in YOIsin their area while it resolves the issue with the government.
The DCSF was unavailable for comment as CYP Now went to press.
