§ Baroness Hilton of Eggardonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have responded to the Howard League report on the education of school aged children in prison, and if so, what action has been taken. [HL5049]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland)We are investing £40 million between 113WA 2001–02 and 2003–04 in enhancing education and training delivery to juveniles in young offender institutions. This follows a root and branch audit of provision carried out during 2001. These resources will allow for the development of high quality, individualised programmes for all learners, with a level of support appropriate for young people with a diverse range of needs. Key developments include:
purpose-built learning centres;
a literacy and numeracy strategy developed specifically for young people serving detention and training orders;
enhanced staffing, including a new senior post of head of learning and skills in each establishment and the appointment of special educational needs co-ordinators and learning support assistants on a ratio of one assistant for every 10 prisoners;
an entitlement of 30 hours education and training and personal development activity for each young person per week;
challenging re-engagement targets to ensure gains made in custody are consolidated post-release.
§ Baroness Hilton of Eggardonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they support the Howard League recommendations that teachers working in the juvenile prisons should be qualified to work with students with special educational needs. [HL5050]
§ Baroness Ashton of UphollandWe are committed to ensuring that the needs of all learners in prisons are met. Under the new specification for learning and skills for juvenile offenders, teachers working in juvenile prisons will be expected to have or gain the qualifications they need to be able to deliver the curriculum to a high standard and to ensure all the learning needs of the young people in their care are met.
As part of our investment programme we are funding special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCO) backed by learning and support assistants in each young offenders institution.