HC Deb 09 July 1998 vol 315 c592W
Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the current qualification requirements and training for prison officers working with juveniles in young offender institutions or adult prisons. [49352]

Ms Quin

The Prison Service in partnership with the Trust for the Study of Adolescence (TSA), have developed a specialist training course on the "Nature of Adolescence: Working with Young People in Custody". The Prison Service is working towards national accreditation for this course, which it is intended will form part of basic training for all prison officers who are going to work in establishments holding juveniles from November 1998.

In addition, a course on "Understanding and Working with Young Women in Custody" has been developed with the TSA. It is intended that national accreditation will also be sought for this course. Trials in September this year will incorporate this training package into the basic training for prison officers going to Styal and Send women's prisons, which hold a proportion of juveniles.

There are no current plans to change the qualification requirement for prison officers working with juveniles.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the average turnover of prison officers in each young offender institution in England over the last five years. [49351]

Ms Quin

These figures are not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.