Girls in prison: The education and training of under-18s serving detention and training orders.
From the thematic report by The Office of Standards in Education in consultation with HM Chief Inspector of Prisons: Between October 2002 and April 2003 Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) from the Office for Standards in Education undertook a thematic survey of female juveniles completing Detention and Training Orders (DTOs). The survey was conducted in two parts, in order to follow individual girls/young women from custody to release in to the community. Three secure establishments were visited which, at the time of the thematic survey, held the highest proportion of girls on DTOs.
The purpose of the thematic survey was:
- to report, from the girls’ own perspective, on the quality of education and training provision for female juveniles completing DTOs;
- to review the effectiveness of education provision in secure establishments linked to the community aspect of DTOs;
- to review the quality of guidance and support available to the young women prior to and on release to the community, and thereafter.
Main Findings
...Overall
- the majority of young women interviewed had poor educational histories with low levels of attainment;
- exceptionally low levels of self esteem were prevalent in all but a small minority of the surveyed group. (About half had experienced bouts of severe depression during their DTO, and a significant number of this group had a history of self-harm.);
- the custodial part of the DTO provided a time of respite for all young women in a relatively safe and ‘secure’ environment;
- attendance at education during custody was highly valued by the majority of those interviewed;
- the community aspect of the DTO was fraught with risk for the majority of young women; it did not provide them with sufficient structure or support to cope with personal problems or help them to progress to further education, training or employment;
- the quality of careers information, advice and guidance for this vulnerable group of young people was extremely variable and too often inadequate;
- the availability of suitable programmes and support structures for young women on licence was inconsistent from one YOT area to another.
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