Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 23
23
Accepted
We also asked the Ministry and HMPPS about their evidence base for secure schools, including...
Recommendation
We also asked the Ministry and HMPPS about their evidence base for secure schools, including their evaluation plans. The Ministry told us that the secure school model is based on international evidence of what works, which it is trying to apply in practice by prioritising investment in staff training.81 However, the National Audit Office reported that Oasis (as the provider) will have autonomy over staff recruitment, training and pay.82 The Ministry also described its first secure school as a ‘pathfinder’; and HMPPS intends to evaluate it and use the findings to feed into scoping the second secure school.83 HMPPS told us that it would draw on existing management information and outcome data—such as data on assault rates, self-harm, use of force and educational outcomes—as part of its evaluation, but it does not yet know how many children it expects to divert from the adult system.84 The National Audit Office reported in April 2022 that HMPPS had yet to develop the plan and secure funding for this evaluation.85 While the Ministry and HMPPS told us that they have decided to start scoping the second secure school this year, they have not started the work.86 72 Q35–Q37 73 Q35 74 Q89 75 Q89 76 Q96 77 Q88 78 Q79, Q89 79 C&AG’s Report, para 1.3 80 Q96–Q97 81 Q22–Q24, Q58–Q59 82 C&AG’s Report, para 3.12 83 Q64–Q66 84 Q40–Q42 85 C&AG’s Report, para 3.5 86 Q65 16 Secure training centres and secure schools
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the recommendation and will conduct an internal review of the Keppel Unit, recruit an evaluation team to develop an evaluation strategy for secure schools, and use the initial findings to inform delivery plans for the potential second secure school.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: June 2023 6.2 An internal review of the Keppel Unit has been conducted based on HM Inspectorate of Prisons inspection of the Keppel Unit (March to August 2022). The review seeks to consider the model of care for the Keppel Unit and how this meets the needs of the children on the unit as well as the wider YCS estate. The review has included a needs analysis across the YCS and specifically in Keppel. The final report will be submitted to the YCS in August 2022. The findings of the Keppel review will inform the ongoing operation of the unit and its future in the context of the needs of the wider population and current and future provision. 6.3 An evaluation team is currently being recruited to develop an evaluation strategy for secure schools which will consider the potential approaches to monitoring and evaluation. This will include a process evaluation of the implementation and delivery of the secure school, as well as determining options for assessing the impact of the school on key outcome measures such as reducing reoffending. This evaluation strategy will be in place at least six months before opening. Other outcomes assessed will include safety in custody and the indicators that contribute to reduced reoffending, for example, progress in education, intervention delivery and the quality of staff-student relationships. 6.4 The initial findings of these assessments will be used to inform delivery plans for the potential second secure school.