Contracts to provide an
independent advocacy services to the children and young people in custody have been awarded to national children’s charities - Barnardo's and Voice.
The YJB contracts, which came into effect at the beginning of July, will give a voice to children and young people being held in secure training centres (STCs) and young offender institutions (YOIs).
The child-focused services are confidential and are intended to help children and young people express their concerns and anxieties about life in and outside custody.
Trained specialists, committed to working with children, will visit on a weekly basis to assist young people to access available services and more importantly to resolve issues affecting their care or to report and follow up their concerns.
The YJB has been running advocacy contracts since 2003 and they are seen as a vital process in helping to safeguard under-18s in custody.
The contracts also fulfil the YJB's commitment to safeguard vulnerable youngsters in custody as set out in the Strategy for the Secure Estate for Children and Young People, published in 2005.
The total value of the contracts are £1.6 million and are initially for three years and will be reviewed on a regular basis.
Notes to editors
- The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB) oversees the youth justice system in England and Wales. We work to prevent offending and reoffending by children and young people under the age of 18, and to ensure that custody for them is safe, secure, and addresses the causes of their offending behaviour.
- Specifically, we advise the Secretary of State on the operation of, and standards for, the youth justice system; monitor the performance of the youth justice system; purchase places for, and place, children and young people remanded or sentenced to custody; identify and promote effective practice; make grants to local authorities or other bodies to support the development of effective practice; commission research and publish information.