Memorandum submitted by ECOTEC Research
and Consulting (Plus Team)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Youth Justice Board (YJB) commissioned ECOTEC
Research and Consulting to carry out an audit into education and
training provision within the under-18 secure estate, and a linked
review of education provision for young people pre- and post-custody.
The research aimed to:
— establish key baseline information
at help strategic planning; and
— ensure consistency of service delivery
across the three sectors that comprise the newly unified secure
estate.
It should be noted that this report refers,
in the main, to the findings from the Young Offender Institutions
(YOIs). Local Authority Secure Units (LASUs) and Secure Training
Centres (STCs) have also been audited, but require a different
set of actions in some cases to the YOIs.
Phase 1 was an audit into education and training
provision within the under-18 secure estate. Phase 2 involves
interviewing 200 young people about their education and training
careers pre- and post-custody. A database of 2,000 young people
held on a Detention and Training Order (DTO) in March 2001 is
also being compiled. Phase 3 is testing the proposition that in
areas where there is a high level of non-attendance at school,
there is also a high rate of youth crime.
This report presents the audit findings of Phase
1 of the project. Audit teams visited each Young Offender Institution
(YOI) and all the Local Authority Secure Units (LASUs) and Secure
Training Centres (STCs) with which the YJB currently contracts.
Information from the interviews with young people being carried
out for Phase 2 is also included.
MAIN FINDINGS
Overview
The custodial institutions are attempting to
meet the needs of socially excluded young people who are best
with multiple disadvantages. In terms of education and training,
the young people's immediate antecedents are mainly characterised
by lack of access and/or non-participation, and long-standing
deficits in literacy and numeracy.
Almost all the institutions were doing their
best in difficult circumstances. Several provided evidence of
a strong turnaround in their educational performance following
critical inspection reports. However, Young Offender Institutions
(YOIs) have not been provided with the appropriate internal infrastructure
and resources, nor do they have the essential external links to
initiate and sustain the radical change necessary.
The report and its recommendations focus on
the YOIs, both because they supply 85% of the custodial places
and because of the degree of the change necessary within them.
Population dynamics
The introduction of the Detention and Training
Order (DTO) appears to have accelerated the throughput of young
people very significantly. This has increased instability across
the whole of YOI regimes. There are fundamental questions about
the appropriateness of the curriculum and expectations of learning
gains within such short sentences.
Leadership and accountability
There is confusion over the roles of the YJB,
the new Prisoners' Learning and Skills Unit in the Department
for Education and Employment (DfEE) and the Prison Service. Education
is not the focus of Young Offender Institutions in the way that
it is within Local Authority Secure Unites and Secure Training
Centres. There is a relatively high degree of territorialism;
the current contracting regime exacerbates this. YOIs and their
education departments are subject to a disproportionate amount
of inspection and monitoring.
Secure colleges
The need is to make a transition from establishments
focusing primarily on control to ones which emphasise learning
and reintegrating juvenile offenders into education and training
in the community. In order to succeed in this, a conceptual framework
akin to that of the secure college is essential.
Management
Strategic planning is not well developed. Education
departments are disconnected from many of the significant changes
that have occurred in mainstream education in recent years. There
is limited use of information and communication technologies (ICT).
Information is not routinely used for performance management.
Human resources
Custodial education has a serious lack of a
career structure underpinned by relevant qualifications. Terms
and conditions in YOIs are significantly worse than in Local Authority
Secure Units and mainstream teaching. The labour force is predominantly
part-time and turnover is relatively high, particularly for education
managers. The level of qualifications is relatively low.
There is a serious deficiency of learning support
assistant time to assist teaching staff and to work one-to-one
with young people. YOIs also lack sufficient special educational
needs (SEN) co-ordinators and educational psychologists.
There tend to be divisions among vocational,
teaching and prison officer staff, all of who are involved in
aspects of educational activities.
Curriculum
There is no clear model or rationale for the
curriculum. An appropriate curriculum would take account of the
new sentence lengths, the young people's educational antecedents
and the importance of managing educational transitions between
custody and the community.
Literacy and numeracy profile of young people
in custody
The average age within YOIs was 17. Just over
one-quarter of the custodial population was of compulsory school
age. Nearly half of these young people had literacy and numeracy
levels below those of the average 11-year old. Over one-quarter
had numeracy levels equivalent to that of the average seven-year
old or younger.
Accommodation
Accommodation is a major constraint on expansion,
for both the volume and quality of education across Young Offender
Institutions. There is a serious lack of facilities, particularly
for science and also in craft, design and technology.
Teaching and learning
A broad, balanced curriculum is not on offer.
Special educational needs are an area of major weakness, with
insufficient support and an extremely low level of transmission
of important evidence from and to the community. Literacy and
numeracy do not permeate the curriculum sufficiently. Other areas
needing improvement are accreditation, awards ceremonies, homework,
lesson planning, and National Records of Achievement (NRA).
Costs
At current funding levels, YOIs cannot provide
all the young people with an acceptable education. Nearly as much
is spent on education for the 300 bed spaces in LASUs as on the
2,900 bed spaces in YOIs. The cost per bed space on average is
8 to 10 times greater in Local Authority Secure Units and Secure
Training Centres than in Young Offender Institutions. There is
a marked variation in costs across LASUs, and for the larger ones
education is significantly more expensive than in Secure Training
Centres.
Messages from young people
The majority had been receiving part-time provision
prior to custody. There was little evidence of disaffection with
formal education—most preferred it to alternative provision
such a pupil referral units or education in custody. But even
the limited provision available in custody has made a real difference
to some young people. Custody was proving very damaging for the
minority who has a school or college placement immediately prior
to their custodial sentence. The majority had little awareness
of what was arranged for them on release in terms of education
or training.
CONCLUSIONS
The recommendations require a combination of
leadership from the YJB and capacity-building within the custodial
institutions and in the community. The YJB needs to be assured
that it has sufficient quantity and level of expertise to manage
this large-scale and challenging process. The Board is likely
to need to move into a simpler, more direct and at times more
directive role within the secure estate.
The need is to focus on the young person in
devising and providing education and training by giving a reality
to the DTO to create an integrated programme.
The enhancement of education and training needs
to occur within a strategic framework, otherwise problems may
be compounded and inconsistency of provision exacerbated, with
little to integrate provision within custody and the community.
Much remains to be done if the Detention and
Training Order is to fulfil its intended purpose.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The recommendations concentrate on YOIs and
take account of the Youth Justice Board's project to develop a
literacy and numeracy assessment of learning materials.
It is vital that implementation of this potentially
daunting programme does not destabilise establishments under considerable
pressure. If the programme is accepted, it would need to proceed
with clear timescales, early demonstration of positive intent
and constructive dialogue with the key players in YOIs.
The scale of the underfunding of education and
training within YOIs might require a bid by the Youth Justice
Board in the next spending review. This would put even more emphasis
on rapidly drawing up a credible education and training plan to
deliver some significant short-term gains; it should still be
possible to pilot secure colleges.
1. YOUTH JUSTICE
BOARD LEADERSHIP
The Board to:
1.1 Prepare a strategic plan for education
and training.
1.2 Equip itself with an in-house educationltraining
team with appropriate experience, or enter into a strategic partnership/national
supporter contract in order to provide the change management expertise.
1.3 Design and introduce a curriculum framework
with appropriate key performance targets.
1.4 Develop a contracting regime to stimulate
new providers of education, training and allied activities.
2. THE SECURE
COLLEGE CONCEPT
2.1 The YJB should aim to enable the establishment
of education and training centres where the students are held
in secure conditions.
2.2 Pilot such an approach under direct
contract to the YJB with a national supporter and external evaluation
framework.
3. HUMAN RESOURCES
STRATEGY
3.1 Aim to create a professional, high-status
service with its own career structure and nationally recognised
qualifications.
3.2 Devise and implement a coherent programme
of preparatory training and continuing professional development
for education and training within the secure estate.
3.3 This to be underpinned by a national
programme of INSET.
3.4 Use the additional funding to create
a special educational needs co-ordinator port, and terms of learning
support assistants and educational psychologist posts for all
YOIs.
3.5 Offer incentives ton recruit effective
teaching practitioners.
3.6 Introduce an education director post
working directly to the governor.
4. ASSESSMENT,
PLANNING AND
REVIEW
4.1 Introduce an integrated and computerised
assessment system across the secure estate.
4.2 Ensure that education departments are
integrated into sentence planning. Education staff to attend all
reviews.
4.3 Set targets, monitor them and use financial
sanctions to ensure that there is 100% completion and transmission
of ASSET to custodial institutions.
4.4 Amend ASSET so that it is clear that
the education and training section must be passed immediately
to the education department. Modify to ensure that full education
information is recorded properly.
4.5 Issue guidance in conjunction with DfEE
to LEAs and Connexions service partnerships to ensure that crucial
SEN information always speedily accompanies a young person to
custody.
4.6 Devise and introduce an added-value
measure that applies across the custodial and community components
of the DTO and includes measures for education I training continuity.
4.7 Standardised summative educational assessments
to be given to all young people immediately prior to released.
4.8 Review existing systems and introduce
electronic attendance monitoring systems in all Young Offender
Institutions.
5. TEACHING AND
LEARNING
5.1 Integrate the education and vocational
provision to provide a more balanced, broader and coherent curriculum
for all young people.
5.2 Devise and introduce an incentive/rewards
programme specific to education and training to further elevate
the statue of learning.
5.3 Ensure that there is a coherent approach
to educational accommodation and that YJB funds are only used
where there is appropriate advice on design.
5.4 The role and resourcing of libraries
as learning centres needs specific attention.
5.5 Ensure that the National Record of Achievement
is completed in custody to the standards applying in mainstream
education and that Youth Offending Team (YOT) supervising officers
are accountable for ensuring its transition and continuation in
the community part of the sentence.
5.6 Review and introduce an appropriate
accreditation scheme that has national currency and can be overseen
in custody and the community.
5.7 Set standards regarding the formal setting
of homework for all young people.
6. INDIVIDUAL
SUPPORT
6.1 Set standards for and fund dedicated
classroom support staff, especially for literacy and numeracy
skills.
6.2 Introduce an integrated case management
system.
6.3 Introduce a personal tutorial system.
7. EVIDENCE-BASED
PRACTICE AND
QUALITY ASSURANCE
7.1 Commission research into the most effective
curriculum and teaching and learning styles for engaging young
offenders, particularly in terms of reducing their offending.
7.2 Establish a formal education advisory
group for each YOI.
7.3 Pilot a streamlined inspection process
that incorporates features of existing inspection regimes, but
pays particular attention to both parts of the DTO's effectiveness.
7.4 Commission a handbook for education
departments, to include case-studies and guidance on evidence-based
practice within custody and the community.
7.5 Develop an intranet for education departments
across the secure estate so that effective practice can be shared
easily and the implementation of the education and training strategy
better co-ordinated.
8. STRATEGIC
PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE FURTHER
EDUCATION (FE) SECTOR
8.1 Negotiate through the Learning and Skills
Council (LSC) and key agencies such as the Association of Colleges
a guarantee of full-time courses available immediately on release
from custody for all young offenders aged 14 to 18.
8.2 Develop jointly with the relevant bodies
a training programme for college lecturers and learning support
assistants so that the have the requisite skills to work with
juvenile offenders.
8.3 Negotiate with local LSCs for funding
for a college member of staff for each YOT.
8.4 Pilot a grid for learning to link up
FE colleges, Young Offender Institutions and YOTs.
9. CONNEXIONS
SERVICES
9.1 Negotiate with the Connexions Service
for personal advisers dedicated to young offenders on custodial
sentences.
10. ICT
10.1 Develop and implement a comprehensive
ICT strategy across the secure estate, linking these establishments
to YOTs and FE colleges.
10.2 Prescribe the hardware and software
to be purchased, or at the least provide specifications.
10.3 Review the strengths and weaknesses of
the Quantum project
and consider contracting relationships separate
to this agreement.
The following indicative action plan depends
on the Youth Justice Board's acceptance of these recommendations,
its ability to acquire the necessary capacity to deliver this
programme, and the availability of resources.
ACTION PLAN
Within three months
| Recommendations |
No |
| Prepare a strategic plan for education and training
| 1.1 |
| Establish YJB education team/national supporter
| 1.2 |
| Design curricular framework | 1.3
|
| Set specific targets for completion and transmission of ASSET
| 4.3 |
| Amend education and training section of ASSET
| 4.4 |
| Issue guidance to LEAs and Connexions service partnerships
| 4.5 |
| Prepare effective practice handbook for education departments
| 7.5 |
| Review the Quantum project | 10.3
|
| |
Within six months
| Fund special educational needs co-ordinator posts and educational psychologists
| 3.4 |
| Introduce education director posts | 3.6
|
| Ensure that education departments are integrated into sentence Planning
| 4.2 |
| Devise and introduce added-value measures |
4.6 |
| Devise and introduce incentive programmes specific to education and training
| 5.3 |
| Ensure that the National Record of Achievement is completed in custody and in the community
| 5.6 |
| Review and introduce an appropriate accreditation scheme for both custody and the community
| 5.7 |
| Fund and introduce learning support staff |
6.1 |
| Establish an education advisory group for each Young Offender Institution
| 7.2 |
| Devise and pilot a streamlined inspection process
| 7.3 |
| Commission research into the most effective curriculum and teaching and learning styles for young offenders
| 7.1 |
| Develop an intranet for education departments across the secure estate
| 7.5 |
| Develop a training programme for FE college staff
| 8.2 |
| Negotiate with the Connexions National Unit for dedicated personal advisers for young people in custody
| 9.1 |
| Produce ICT specifications for the secure estate
| 10.2 |
| Review systems and introduce electronic attendance monitoring
| 4.8 |
| |
Within one year
| Commence a pilot of a secure college working directly to the Youth Justice Board
| 2.2 |
| Develop a new contracting regime | 1.4
|
| Devise and implement a national training programme
| 3.2 & 3.3 |
| Offer incentives to enhance recruitment |
3.5 |
| Introduce an integrated electronic assessment system
| 4.1 |
| Introduce pre-release educational assessments
| 4.7 |
| Ensure a coherent approach to improving educational Accommodation
| 5.4 |
| Develop the role of libraries | 5.5
|
| Introduce an integrated case management system
| 6.2 |
| Introduce a personal tutorial system | 6.3
|
| Negotiate with the LSC guaranteed provision on release from custody for juvenile offenders
| 8.1 |
| Secure from local LSCs a college-based member of staff for each YOT
| 8.3 |
| Pilot a grid for learning, linking selected FE colleges and YOIs
| 8.4 |
| |
Within three years
| Secure funding and transform Young Offender Institutions into secure colleges
| 2.1 |
| Create a professional, high-status educational and training service
| 3.1 |
| Integrate educational and vocational provision within Young Offender Institutions
| 5.1 |
| Implement a comprehensive ICT strategy across the whole secure estate
| 10.1 |
| July 2004 | |
| 
