Recommendation 23

HM Government Accepted

108. The YCS recognises these failings and is addressing them through the Roadmaps to Effective Practice in Education outlined in paragraph 76-77. 109. Many children and young people in custody have a disrupted education before coming into the YCS and may have spent years out of school prior to their admission. A significant percentage of children spend a very short time in custody, limiting what we can help them achieve. 110. Creating a varied and broad curriculum with a tailored education service is also a challenge due to the variation in learning needs, high levels of violence, gang affiliation and management of this through ‘keep-apart’. 111. In 2022, sites began seven-year contracts, and it is evident after three years of operation that these contracts need some variation to drive improvements. The contracts in place provide a minimum 15 hours of education delivery, but these assume a class size of 8, which in practice is not achievable due to the levels of violence and ‘keep-aparts’. Evidence from alternative education recommends a 1 to 4 ratio which requires higher staffing levels. 112. We know that to ensure success, each child’s learning journey should be supported by a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary plan that addresses their holistic needs – academic, social, emotional, and personal. 113. Learning should be seen as part of a broader cultural shift within YOIs, focusing on how each site can enable high-quality, individualised delivery that is trauma informed. Each site’s local roadmap will serve as a strategic framework to guide the delivery of learning, safety, and overall outcomes. By fostering this collaborative and trauma-sensitive environment, we can help children achieve better educational outcomes and equip them with the skills they need for the future. 114. Each roadmap incorporates specific, measurable, and achievable milestones, with clearly defined metrics to track progress and hold accountability. The roadmaps are designed to focus on key events and interventions that drive progress, ensuring continuous improvement in learning outcomes for children. By establishing clear targets and regularly assessing progress, we can effectively monitor and enhance the impact of the educational strategies implemented within YOIs, ensuring that every child can succeed and thrive. 115. The YCS is working closely with education providers in the community, in particular those making provision for children who have experienced school exclusion, children with special educational needs and young people who have previously experienced, or are at risk of, being unemployed without involvement in education or training. These partnerships will be crucial to developing practice in our YOIs, but also in offering some continuity with children’s education on release. 116. For longer term the YCS are aiming to reduce classroom sizes from eight to four children in education and apply learning from alternative provisions. A series of visits and partnerships are being arranged to further inform this. Once established, it is hoped some of these can be brought together for a further wider roundtable. 117. The YCS is aiming to introduce more vocational-style learning, including nurturing pathways. Health and wellbeing in prisons