Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of trends in the number of youth clubs available to young people since 2010.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not hold the data requested. Local authorities have a statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people in their area. This is funded from the Local Government settlement, which is due to rise to more than £64 billion in 2024-25. We have worked with local authorities and with the youth sector to update the statutory guidance that underpins local authorities’ duty to support them in adequately meeting the needs of young people.
The Government recognises the vital role that youth services and activities play in improving the life chances and wellbeing of young people, which is why we have committed to the National Youth Guarantee. This includes the delivery of up to 300 new and refurbished youth spaces and services in left behind areas through the Youth Investment Fund, totalling over £300 million.
Asked by: Janet Daby (Labour - Lewisham East)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many safeguarding referrals have been made from each (a) young offender institution and (b) secure training centre in each of the last five years.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The available data are set out in the tables below:
i) Allegations of (a) physical abuse at Young Offender Institutions:
2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
216 | 285 | 386 | 377 |
Allegations of (b) sexual abuse at Young Offender Institutions:
2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
29 | 39 | 84 | 64 |
Please note that multiple categories of concern may be recorded per safeguarding referral. The above breakdown details the volume of all safeguarding referrals with (a) physical abuse or (b) sexual abuse recorded as an element of the referral though these may not be the primary reason for the referral.
i) Volume of safeguarding referrals across Young Offender Institutions and Secure Training Centres.
(a) Young Offender Institutions:
Establishment | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
Cookham Wood | 72 | 83 | 156 | 97 |
Feltham A | 114 | 104 | 160 | 146 |
Parc YPU | 11 | 8 | 41 | 89 |
Werrington | 63 | 81 | 103 | 154 |
Wetherby | 157 | 214 | 252 | 292 |
(b) Secure Training Centres:
Establishment | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
Rainsbrook | 279 | 146 | * | * |
Oakhill | 317 | 200 | 236 | 187 |
*Rainsbrook closed in December 2021.
When a safeguarding case is opened, the detail of the case may not be known. We conduct a thorough investigation of every case to understand the details and the severity of the concern and ensure that any necessary actions are taken to protect the children in our custody. The referrals could be about matters in the community or whilst in custody.
It is not the case that an increase in safeguarding cases should always be a matter of concern: this would be dependent on the nature of the case. An increased number of cases may represent increased confidence on the part of staff in reporting concerns or may indicate that children feel safe to disclose information to staff. It is by conducting a thorough investigation that we can understand the nature of each case and identify any trends that need to be addressed. Please note that not all referrals result in further action for example, HM YOI Werrington received 63 referrals within a 12-month period of which only two of these referrals were upheld.
The Youth Custody Service has responsibility for safeguarding strategy and practice across the youth estate. We have published a new policy framework ‘Safeguarding and Child Protection in the Youth Custody Service’ and each site’s operating procedures have been updated.
Asked by: Janet Daby (Labour - Lewisham East)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many allegations of (a) physical and (b) sexual abuse were made at young offender institutions in each year since 2015.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The available data are set out in the tables below:
i) Allegations of (a) physical abuse at Young Offender Institutions:
2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
216 | 285 | 386 | 377 |
Allegations of (b) sexual abuse at Young Offender Institutions:
2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
29 | 39 | 84 | 64 |
Please note that multiple categories of concern may be recorded per safeguarding referral. The above breakdown details the volume of all safeguarding referrals with (a) physical abuse or (b) sexual abuse recorded as an element of the referral though these may not be the primary reason for the referral.
i) Volume of safeguarding referrals across Young Offender Institutions and Secure Training Centres.
(a) Young Offender Institutions:
Establishment | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
Cookham Wood | 72 | 83 | 156 | 97 |
Feltham A | 114 | 104 | 160 | 146 |
Parc YPU | 11 | 8 | 41 | 89 |
Werrington | 63 | 81 | 103 | 154 |
Wetherby | 157 | 214 | 252 | 292 |
(b) Secure Training Centres:
Establishment | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
Rainsbrook | 279 | 146 | * | * |
Oakhill | 317 | 200 | 236 | 187 |
*Rainsbrook closed in December 2021.
When a safeguarding case is opened, the detail of the case may not be known. We conduct a thorough investigation of every case to understand the details and the severity of the concern and ensure that any necessary actions are taken to protect the children in our custody. The referrals could be about matters in the community or whilst in custody.
It is not the case that an increase in safeguarding cases should always be a matter of concern: this would be dependent on the nature of the case. An increased number of cases may represent increased confidence on the part of staff in reporting concerns or may indicate that children feel safe to disclose information to staff. It is by conducting a thorough investigation that we can understand the nature of each case and identify any trends that need to be addressed. Please note that not all referrals result in further action for example, HM YOI Werrington received 63 referrals within a 12-month period of which only two of these referrals were upheld.
The Youth Custody Service has responsibility for safeguarding strategy and practice across the youth estate. We have published a new policy framework ‘Safeguarding and Child Protection in the Youth Custody Service’ and each site’s operating procedures have been updated.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many youth centres have closed in each year since 2015.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS does not hold the data requested. Local Authorities have a statutory duty to ‘secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people’. This is funded from the Local Government settlement, which is almost £60 billion this year (FY 23/24). DCMS has worked with the youth sector and local authorities to update the statutory guidance that underpins the duty to support local authorities in delivering it.
Asked by: Paul Bristow (Conservative - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to open a third phase of the youth investment fund.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the vital role that youth services and activities play in improving the life chances and wellbeing of young people.
While local authorities are responsible for delivering youth provision, the Government has worked closely with local authorities to update statutory guidance to support this delivery. The Government additionally provides significant funding to support youth services, with over £1.1 billion provided to the youth sector from DCMS in England between 2015 and 2021.
Over this Spending Review Period, DCMS is investing over £500 million in youth services to deliver the National Youth Guarantee, a government commitment that by 2025, every young person will have access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home and opportunities to volunteer. This includes a significant number of interventions such as the Youth Investment Fund which is delivering grants to build, renovate and expand youth centres. Future funding commitments for the Youth Investment Fund beyond the current phase 2 will be subject to the next Spending Review Period.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will develop a skills and workforce plan for youth services.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the vital role that youth services and activities play in improving the life chances and wellbeing of young people.
While local authorities are responsible for delivering youth provision, the Government has worked closely with local authorities to update statutory guidance to support this delivery. The Government additionally provides significant funding to support youth services, with over £1.1 billion provided to the youth sector from DCMS In England between 2015 and 2021.
Furthermore, over this Spending Review Period, DCMS is investing over £500 million in youth services to deliver the National Youth Guarantee, a government commitment that by 2025, every young person will have access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home and opportunities to volunteer. This includes a significant number of interventions. For example, the Youth Investment Fund is delivering grants to build, renovate and expand youth centres, and the Million Hours Fund has created more than a million hours of youth activities in antisocial behaviour hotspots.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of (a) access to and (b) the location of youth services.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the vital role that youth services and activities play in improving the life chances and wellbeing of young people.
While local authorities are responsible for ensuring young people can access youth services, the Government has worked closely with local authorities to update statutory guidance to support this delivery. The Government additionally provides significant funding to support youth services, with over £1.1 billion provided to the youth sector from DCMS In England between 2015 and 2021.
Furthermore, over this Spending Review Period, DCMS is investing over £500 million in youth services to deliver the National Youth Guarantee, a government commitment that by 2025, every young person will have access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home and opportunities to volunteer. This includes a significant number of interventions. For example, the Youth Investment Fund is delivering grants to build, renovate and expand youth centres, and the Million Hours Fund has created more than a million hours of youth activities in antisocial behaviour hotspots.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will review the youth services estate; and if she will fund repairs for that estate.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the vital role that youth services and activities play in improving the life chances and wellbeing of young people.
While local authorities are responsible for delivering youth provision, the Government has worked closely with local authorities to update statutory guidance to support this delivery. The Government additionally provides significant funding to support youth services, with over £1.1 billion provided to the youth sector from DCMS In England between 2015 and 2021.
Furthermore, over this Spending Review Period, DCMS is investing over £500 million in youth services to deliver the National Youth Guarantee, a government commitment that by 2025, every young person will have access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home and opportunities to volunteer. This includes a significant number of interventions. For example, the Youth Investment Fund is delivering grants to build, renovate and expand youth centres, and the Million Hours Fund has created more than a million hours of youth activities in antisocial behaviour hotspots.
Asked by: Janet Daby (Labour - Lewisham East)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Answer of 19 July 2021 to Question 33308 on Youth Custody: Costs, what the cost was to the public purse of a child placed in youth custody (a) on remand and (b) for other reasons in (i) secure children's homes, (ii) secure training centres and (iii) young offenders' institutes in the most recent period for which figures are available.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The average annual cost per place for a child or young person in youth custody, inclusive of educational services, is:
Secure Children’s Home: £299,459.47
Secure Training Centre: £305,892.40
Young Offender Institution: £129,333.58.
There is no difference in cost per place whether the child or young person is on remand or is in custody for other reasons.
Asked by: Janet Daby (Labour - Lewisham East)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve children’s access to (a) classroom education and (b) vocational education in (i) young offender institutions and (ii) secure training centres.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
We know the importance of ensuring that time in custody is purposeful, and are committed to ensuring that children and young people have the necessary and appropriate access to education, skills, and work provision, with a consistent daily programme of activities.
Figures for November 2023 for average hours spend in education are being quality-assured for publication, and are therefore not yet available. Total figures for October, the most recent month for which data have been verified, are provided in the table below:
Establishment | Average no. of hours per week i |
HMYOI Cookham Wood | Not currently available |
HMYOI Feltham | 8.7 |
Parc YOI | 19.0 |
HMYOI Wetherby | 9.6 |
HMYOI Werrington | 13.7 |
Oakhill STCii | 24.2 |
Notes:
1 YOI figures are for classroom-based hours only: vocational training is not included.
1 Average number of educational and vocational training hours per week at Oakhill.
The Youth Custody Service (YCS) is taking a number of measures to improve access to education and training across Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) in the youth secure estate, and at Oakhill Secure Training Centre. We are reviewing regime models and staff deployment to maximise time-out-of-room, balancing openness with the requirement to ensure safety. We are also committed to providing education and enrichment for those for whom a classroom setting is not appropriate, and a central review is being carried out of steps YOIs can take to reduce the number of children and young people who are unable to mix. Conflict resolution practitioners at each site are working with children and young people to resolve conflict between individuals and groups, and to help them engage in opportunities available in our care. There has been notable success in reducing the number of regime groups in YOIs, with increased interactions and more time-out-of-room as a result.