Click for more information on working with key agencies. The information below relates to national, strategic relationships that inform policy in both England and Wales.
Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA)
As of 1 April 2010 the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) was split into two new bodies, the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) and the Skills Funding Agency (SFA). The YPLA will assume full responsibility for post-16 education from 1 April 2010 until September 2010 when it will become the responsibility of local authorities. As of September 2010 the YPLA will be responsible for monitoring the provision of education of young people aged 16 and older, which is the responsibility of local authorities. The YJB is working with the YPLA to ensure the best possible provision of education for young people in the criminal justice system.
Youth offending team (YOT) managers and education staff should form strong links with their new YPLA regional representatives, many of whom have transferred over from the LSC. It is essential to maintain good contact with the YPLA particularly during the transition process of education to local authorities to ensure young people in the youth justice system receive adequate access to education.
Click for more information on the YPLA [opens in new window].
Offender education
The Apprenticeship, Children, Skills and Learning act (2009) makes local authorities responsible for provision of education for young people in custody, including those with SEN statements, ensuring that local authorities with YOIs within their boundaries (host) secure learning provision and that the local authorities where the young people were residing before entering custody (home) endeavour to ensure that they receive the best education possible.
The Offender Learning And Skills Service (OLASS) provides offender education, including that of young people. The operational focus for OLASS comes from the YPLA, the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and the YJB, along with other education and employment partners.
Wales
A separate strategy is being adopted in Wales by the Welsh Assembly Government and the Director of Offender Management Services – Wales. Click to read more about Joining Together in Wales: The Wales Reducing Re-offending Strategy [opens in new window].
In addition, the All Wales Youth Offending Strategy has been updated. It was first published in 2004 by the YJB and Welsh Assembly Government and set out a holistic approach to end-to-end youth justice in Wales in accordance with our shared belief that prevention is better than cure. Between 2008 and 2009 the Welsh Assembly Government and the YJB reviewed and refreshed delivery mechanisms for the All Wales Youth Offending Strategy.
The document All Wales Youth Offending Strategy: Delivery Plan 2009-2011 describes the changes we have made and sets out the priority themes we will address and the actions we will take. It also shows how we will work with the UK Government to take forward those aspects of the criminal justice system that apply to England and Wales, such as the Youth Crime Action Plan [opens in new window].
DCSF Improving Behaviour and Attendance Programme
www.dcsf.gov.uk/behaviourandattendance [opens in new window]
This programme is designed to improve behaviour and attendance in schools where it represents a barrier to learning. Schools with Behaviour and Education Support Teams (BESTs) [opens in new window] include those with high proportions of pupils with, or at risk of developing, behavioural problems as demonstrated in levels of exclusions and attendance. Given the links between truancy and crime, this initiative is of great importance to the YJB’s education, training and employment agenda.