What Others Have Said!

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Integrated Resettlement Support Framework (2009)

It is the YJB's intention to refocus on the grant for resettling young people who leave custody and build on the YCAP provisions. It is vital there is some concentration on continuity of care and obtaining buy-in, commitment and support from local authorities and other statutory agencies that have a key role to play in resettlement (p.3)

Healthy Children, Safer Communities (2009)

Children and young people in contact with the YJS need the same extra support at key transition points as their non-offending peers, and they have additional transitions that can be especially difficult to deal with. These include sentence starting and ending...the move back home or to independent living...(p.51)

The Youth Crime Action Plan (2008)

Also important to reducing reoffending is a stable lifestyle, especially having strong family support and suitable housing... A significant proportion of children leaving custody do not have anywhere suitable to live on release and many have wider family, health and personal needs (para 5.5)

The Learning Journey for Young People (2008)

Partnerships between all providers and relevant agencies are crucial in ensuring a coherent package of support for young people...The two key objectives of this support are to remove the barriers to learning and to assist the young people in developing their capacity to participate and progress more effectively in education, training and employment (p.11)

Joint Working Between Housing & Children's Services (2008)

The main outcomes of joint working to prevent and tackle homelessness should be:

• Clear and flexible accommodation and support pathways towards independent living for those who need them

• A personalised support package for every young person, based on a full assessment of their needs across all 5 ECM outcome areas, and involving all appropriate agencies to help them achieve their aspirations and make a positive transition to adulthood...(p29)

3rd JCI Review: Safeguarding Children (2008)

Almost 25% of YOT areas inspected had recommendations relating to the lack of safe accommodation for vulnerable and homeless children under 18. These are children who are considered to be intentionally homeless, or not deemed eligible for accommodation and maintenance by social care services... In other cases, recommendations concerned accommodation for young people transferring to the community following a custodial sentence 

Ed Balls: YJB Convention 14th November 2007

...there is a clear need to make sure that when young people leave custody, they are properly resettled. Many young people in custody have extremely chaotic backgrounds with little stability. The transition from custody needs to give them the foundation to better establish a better, more stable life outside of custody. one question we should ask is whether young people leaving custody have the same kind of support as children leaving care? In practice, this doesn't happen...

Child Protection & Safeguards Review (2003) Rec. 9

Children looked after by the Prison Service should be accorded the same status and rights in law as children looked after by Local Authorities. This would further expand the Local Authority remit of support for these young people to that already experienced by children in other custodial settings such as Local Authority Secure Units and Secure Training Centres, and would include entitlement to Leaving Care Services under the Leaving Care Act 2000

Key Elements of Effective Practice - Resettlement (YJB 2003)

Successful resettlement, effecting all aspects of a young person's life, is a collaborative exercise between a range of agencies. With often distressed and excluded young people, resettlement will work only with prolonged and concerted effort. it will have to include co-operation, planning and financial investment. There will be no quick fixes.