Recommendation 10

HM Government Accepted

We accept this recommendation in principle. We recognise the importance of good careers advice working to consistent national expectations in preparing prisoners for sustainable employment on release. Careers advice is currently commissioned through the Prison Education Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), commissioned rehabilitative services, and Department for Work and Pensions work coaches providing advice inside prisons. We are currently engaging with the market to explore the best long-term arrangements for our future Careers Information, Advice and Guidance Service, and will use feedback from 6 Government Response: Not just another brick in the wall: why prisoners need an education to climb the ladder of opportunity the market to design our approach, which may not take the precise form of the National Careers Service, but will seek to provide information, advice and guidance in line with best practice. Recommendations 11 and 12: Prisoners are often transferred with short notice across the prison estate. The loss or delay in the transfer of their educational records can have serious repercussions on their ability to continue their studies, and can in some cases cause prisoners to become disheartened and to give up on their learning. It is unacceptable that the effort made by prisoners in improving themselves can be so easily discarded. (Paragraph 58). The Ministry of Justice must introduce a digital education passport, which contains a record of a prisoner’s learning, and any identified educational needs, that follows prisoners through their sentence and across the prison estate, and which can be shown to potential employers. (Paragraph 59) Responsible organisation: MoJ/HMPPS We accept both recommendations. We are developing Personal Learning Plans in line with these recommendations. The new digital system we are designing will record initial assessments and record a learning plan to be followed throughout the sentence. This will also record progress and act as a formal record of learning which can be shared with employers. We will also introduce resettlement passports, which will be set up prior to release and will bring together the key information and services that an individual needs to resettle into society, such as bank accounts, CVs, and ID to prove right to work and rent. Education, Skills, and Work (ESW) information currently forms part of Offender Assessment System (OASys) sentence plans. We will ensure this data is consistent with the information included in personal learning plans.