Social Care News: Young offenders - Prison service to hire socialworkers

By the end of March there will be 25 social workers employed at 18 YOIsin England and Wales. Many are already in place.

The Youth Justice Board is funding the social work posts that werebrought in as a result of the Munby Judgment.

Mr Justice Munby's 2002 High Court judgment said the Home Office waswrong to claim that the Children's Act 1989 did not apply to YOIs.

"Just because they are in prison does not mean they lose theirchildren's rights," said Jeremy Whittle, senior policy developer for theprison service's juvenile group. "As a consequence we are trying totreat them more like children. One of the recommendations of the MunbyJudgement was to employ social workers to work in prisons."

One of their roles is to identify looked-after young people who haveslipped through the net.

"It is already making a difference to young people's lives," saidWhittle.

"We know that 40 per cent of young offenders have been looked after atsome point in their lives. All these young people should be gettingservices from their local authority during their time in theinstitution, and when they are released. The social workers ensure thatthese young people are not forgotten about.

"A young person on his release may also, for example, have to return toa home where his parents are crack addicts. A social worker would beable to organise alternative accommodation," Whittle added.

A Youth Justice Board spokeswoman said: "It ensures the young peoplereceive joined-up services, helps to identify children who have beenabused and makes sure they get the education and training they need toturn their lives around.

"We have agreed to fund it up until April 2007 and are negotiating withgovernment departments to take over the funding afterwards."

Ian Johnston, director of the British Association of Social Workerssaid: "It is good that these vulnerable young people are getting thisservice but we would prefer there to be a greater focus on alternativesto custodial sentences."

John Kemmis, chief executive of Voice (formerly Voice of the Child inCare), which campaigns for children in care, said: "It is a constructivestart. Looked-after children often have a gap in care from localauthorities while in a YOI. I hope this will act as a catalyst."

The National Children's Bureau is evaluating the initiative and willbring out an interim report later in the year.