1st July 2009 - Sutton Place Safe Centre, Hull
Sutton Place Safe Centre, the secure children's home in Hull, has now closed.
Article in Guardian Wednesday May 20th on closure of secure homes
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/may/20/secure-care-homes-closure
Press release: 28/04/09 - London 's only secure children's home could close by June 2009
LONDON 'S most vulnerable children have been put at risk by a government decision to decommission the city's only secure children's home. Last month the Youth Justice Board (YJB) announced it would not be renewing its contract to commission secure children's beds from Orchard Lodge in Anerley, along with Sutton Place Safe Centre in Hull and the Atkinson Unit in Exeter . The cutbacks have shocked the UK 's already dwindling secure estate and caused concern amongst youth crime charities who say the demand for beds accommodating vulnerable children is rising – not falling.
Orchard Lodge in South London is a 24-bedded secure children's home that has admitted London 's most vulnerable and emotionally disturbed boys aged 12 to 16 for the past 20 years. The Glen Care Group bought the centre in March 2006 from Southwark Council and has since invested in excess of £500,000 into raising standards, implementing educational programmes and building a new five-bed unit.
The YJBs decision to cutback on the number of secure beds it commissions has placed the future of Orchard Lodge, together with its 70 employees, in serious jeopardy. The YJB said its decision not to renew its contract with the centre ending in June 2009, was due to the fact the Anerley-based home did not meet quality, standard and price. The Glen Care Group has rejected the ruling and launched a legal battle to prove the tender process used by the YJB was flawed and breeched European Tendering Policy.
Under Glen Care's guidance, Orchard Lodge's Ofsted rating has improved dramatically, and low levels of literacy among admitted children have been tackled by implementing the Toe by Toe teaching programme, resulting in the majority of boys reaching their reading age within seven months of serving their sentence.
Gordon Philips, Chairman of Glen Care, believes the centre's closure will have potentially devastating welfare implications for the city's most vulnerable children and expose the YJB to legal challenges from families who will have reduced access to their children.
He said: “The loss of Orchard Lodge will result in children being sent to remaining secure homes in Bristol , Southampton , The Midlands and the North of England. Over 90 per cent of the boys we care for come from families living below the poverty line, so most parents will struggle to visit a centre over 80 miles away or even cover childcare costs for the day. To undergo rehabilitation these boys need constant support from their family and this ill-service by the YJB will not stop them from re-offending on release.”
According to the YJBs own policy, juveniles should not be sent further than 50 miles from their home in order to maintain and strengthen their family ties during their time in custody. The move to send children as far as 250 miles from London , not only breeches the YJBs own policy but also directives outlined within the government programme Every Child Matters. Introduced by Ed Ball, Secretary of State for Schools, Children and Families, the aim of the programme states every child whatever their background or circumstances, is to be given the support they need to be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic well-being.
Dennis Scotland, Director of Children's Services at Orchard Lodge said the possible closure of the only secure care home in London would seriously jeopardise the long-term rehabilitation and well-being of youths in his care.
“Parental visits are of huge importance to the boys we care for. They provide a morale boost and something to focus on during their custodial sentence. Without their support the boys can feel abandoned and cut off from their family unit and as young children, this can have very damaging repercussions on their development.”
“Not having a secure care home in a city as vast as London , with all its social issues is utterly ludicrous. The Government has failed in its duty of care for these children who will be severely disadvantaged miles from home.”
Roy Walker (OBE), former chair of the Secure Accommodation Network (SAN), has run Sutton Place Safe Centre in Hull for the past 17 years. Passionate in his belief secure care homes can turn around the lives of vulnerable children, he said the anticipated loss of three distinguished centres across the country is an unacceptable erosion of an essential national resource.
“In the last decade the number of secure care homes in the UK has dropped from over 30 to 19 and that figure looks as if it's going to drop again as a result of the latest decommissioning. These secure units deliver real results and make a real difference for some of the most vulnerable children this country has to care for.”
He added: “Due to sheer overload in the system there are going to be kids who end up in Young Offender Institutions, where due to lack of resources and level of staffing, children in need of greater care, can get lost. There is a real danger children prone to self-harming and bullying will be placed in unsuitable environments. The removal of services at Sutton Place and Orchard Lodge by the YJB will reduce even further what I see as an essential national resource.”
London-based crime reduction charity Nacro said there was already a chronic shortage of secure accommodation in London , and the loss of the only centre offering a real chance of rehabilitation to the Capital's most emotionally disturbed and disadvantaged youths was an outcry.
Spike Cadman, Senior Policy Director on Youth Crime for Nacro said he could not understand the rationale behind the decision to decommission the only secure children's home in London .
“In 2007, parliament figures listed 1,148 young people deemed vulnerable within the secure estate, yet the YJBs decision to reduce the number of beds commissioned means there will only be 498 available nationally. There is a real demand for beds in London and youth crime is a very real issue. Sending children all over the country away from their families will not help rehabilitate these juveniles.”
Notes to Editors
Secure children's homes provide young people at risk and juvenile offenders with support tailored to their individual needs. To achieve this, they have a high ratio of staff to young people and are generally small facilities, ranging in size from 6 to 40 beds. With the exception of Orchard Lodge all of the UK 's 19 secure children's homes are run by Local Authorities.
The Glen Care Group (www.orchardlodge.org.uk) is the only private company to provide vulnerable young children who receive a custodial remand or custodial sentence with secure accommodation and a care plan that enables them to maintain strong positive links with their local communities to prevent further offending.
* Roy Walker received an OBE for Services to Children and Young People in 2003 in recognition of his distinguished career in secure child care.
For more information or to arrange interviews/photographs contact Jo Pecksen at EyeSpy Media on 01789 296776/ 07769695238.
Thursday 23rd April 2009 - New Chair of SAN
Roy Walker has stood down as the chair of SAN from April 22nd . This is owing to the pending closure of the secure children's home he manages Sutton Place Safe Centre following its failure to win a new Contract with the YJB. It was agreed at SAN's Management Meeting held at Vinney Green that Andy Copp would take over the role of Chair with Keith Smith Vice Chair. Andy is the Manager of Red Bank Community Home and Keith Manager of Vinney Green secure children's home.
Mon 20th April 2009 - Daily Mail supports secure children homes !
The Daily Mail not the most strident supporter of social work has published an article strongly in favour of safeguarding the future of secure children's homes. In the article in the paper on Saturday April 18 th 2009, pages 40/41, based on the Radio 4 programmes on Vinney Green the presenter of that programme, Winifred Robinson, reiterates her strong support for the work of secure children's homes and argues that their work needs to be carefully considered before more homes close. She explores in some detail the work of Vinney Green and in the conclusion to her article Robinson states that whilst there is no ' firm evidence that secure units are worth saving , but it is vital that we do not allow them to be abandoned without proper evaluation. If we do, we may all end up paying the price.'
'Inside the Child Prisons - Part 2'
BBC Radio 4 Broadcast Mon 20 Apr 2009 20:00
The number of secure units is falling, down from 28 earlier this decade to just 19 and with a further four scheduled to close in 2009. The government is keen to examine alternatives to custody, including intensive fostering. But how do outcomes compare over the long term and what proves to be effective in addressing offending behaviour?
Work that goes on in places like the Vinney Green secure unit in Bristol includes a great emphasis on vocational skills to equip teenagers who may have been excluded from mainstream schools. Winifred examines these intensive efforts and talks to some of the youngsters and their families about what the future holds.
'Inside the Child Prisons' BBC Radio 4 Broadcast
Mon 13 Apr 2009 20:00 - Listen here (you need BBC iPlayer installed)
Winifred Robinson follows the fortunes of some of the 300-plus violent and damaged youngsters in Britain who are detained in secure children's homes to prevent them harming themselves or others.
She follows interventions ranging from anger management courses to drug and alcohol counselling. The children are aged between 10 and 16 and most have been placed in the units following sentencing by the courts because they are too young to be placed in young offenders institutes. With intensive staffing ratios and heavy security, the cost of each place is high, but if it works the benefits to society can be significant.
At one secure unit, on the outskirts of Bristol, Winifred follows 15-year-old Mitchell, who is admitted after trying to hang himself in a young offenders institute. He was sentenced following a vicious robbery which left a younger boy hospitalised. Mitchell blames cannabis and the wrong friends for the attack, and while locked up he works hard on addressing his behaviour. He plans for a better life on his release but his old friends are waiting for him back home, and both his parents and staff at the secure unit worry about what will happen.
8 April 2009 -: 'Life in secure care'.
The Children's Commissioner, Dr Roger Lyons, has published a report detailing an investigation into secure children's homes by his team based on visits to 9 of the 18 homes in England to gain the views of the young people placed there on how they are treated, the impact of being placed in SCHs and the range of services they receive. The report was published by OfSTED on April 7 th and is available through their website, HMI:080241.Young people talk very positively about their experiences in Secure children's homes and the positive experiences they have, as well as offering advice on how to further improve the experience.
Roy Walker, outgoing Chair of SAN, commented that the report is a welcome vindication of the quality of care that secure children's homes can offer and something which SAN has being working hard to develop and promote. There is an irony, he said, in the timing of the report given that the closure of his own unit has been announced and that the future of others is uncertain. He went on to say that ' Secure Children's homes are a vital part of the continuum of care for young people in England yet their future has never been so uncertain and the DCSF appear powerless or unwilling to intervene or to support units.'
8 April 2009 - Young people feel safe in secure children's homes
Young people say secure children's homes are safe places to be and keep them out of trouble, according to a report by Roger Morgan, the children's rights director for England. Click here for article
Related articlesSecure children's home places fall
1st April 2009 - Roy Walker to stand down as Chair of SAN
'Following the news that Sutton Place Safe Centre, the unit he manages is to close, Roy Walker the current Chair of SAN is to stand down at a date to be finalised in April. Andy Copp from Red bank the current Deputy Chair will become Acting Chair until new arrangements can be agreed.'
30 March 2009 - Secure Children's Home Closes
' Following the Youth Justice Board Contract awards on March 26th it has been announced that Sutton Place Safe Centre in Hull is to close. The home was unsuccessful in its bid to get a Contract from the YJB. Timescales for the home's closure are unclear but its current Contract with the Board runs until June 30th.'
26 March 2009 - Future commissioning for YJB beds in England and Wales
Following the outcome of the joint Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB) and Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) Secure Children's Homes (SCHs) re-commissioning exercise, the YJB has modelled the number of beds required in Secure Children's Homes and will be commissioning 191 beds in England and Wales under new contracts starting on 1 July 2009. New contracts will be awarded to the following homes to ensure provision is available in all parts of the country
The YJB will offer to commission a similar number of beds as at present in the nine SCHs named above. There are also four SCHs in England currently contracted with YJB who will not be offered a new contract. We will work with DCSF and those units to agree transition arrangements which support the sustainable provision of welfare beds, whilst YJB move to its contracted total of 191 beds by March 2010. The YJB currently commissions 219 beds in this sector.. The four SCHs which will be offered transition support are:
Secure Children's Homes have a distinct and long-term role in providing secure accommodation for younger children and young people with particular needs. The number of beds required in this sector is based on an analysis of the population of SCHs and Secure Training Centres over the last three years, taking into account the geographical spread of homes across England . Because there is only one SCH in Wales , Hillside , it has not been included in the recommissioning process and the renewal of their contract is being dealt with separately. The commissioning follows the completion of a retendering process amongst Secure Children's Homes in England . Tenders were assessed on both quality and financial criteria. The competition for new contracts was run alongside DCSF's competition for capital grants. DCSF intend to build on their previous capital investment by investing up to a further £50 million in the sector over the next four years to significantly improve the accommodation and facilities available . The bulk of that sum will be made available over 2009/10 and 2010/11. Further funding thereafter will be subject to the next spending review. Whilst the results of the recommissioning exercise will guarantee sufficient provision of appropriate secure accommodation for young people, the YJB remains committed to reducing the numbers of young people in custody in England and Wales . It continues to invest in alternatives to custody, including Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programmes and Intensive Fostering.
12th March 2009 - Y.J.B. Contract Decisions Delay
‘After initially indicating that secure children's home would hear in mid March about the award of contracts for 1 st July onwards, the Youth Justice Board has now said it will be the end of March before decisions are announced. Roy Walker, Chair of S.A.N., said that the delay was unhelpful given the potential implications of the decision to award contracts or not. Any further delay, he felt, would be unacceptable'.
The ‘About Us’ page on this website has been updated to more clearly reflect the many areas that secure children’s homes offer based on measurable outcomes. Check it out.
1st March 2009 - NACRO Conference: Wasted Lives. Reducing youth crime, maximising children’s potential. April 1-3rd 2009 University of Nottingham.
Roy Walker, Chair of SAN, is hosting a seminar at the above conference entitled ‘Vulnerability in custody’ which will examine the current and future role of secure children’s homes and explore the challenges facing them. More information on the conference which is described as ‘the pre-eminent independent event in the youth justice calendar’ at www.nacro.org.uk
1st March 2009 - Research Report DCSF-RR055: Developing the Market for Welfare Beds in Secure Children’s Homes. Deloitte.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) is hosting a number of seminars to look at the recommendation of the Deloitte Report published last July. This Report looked at the drop in the use of welfare placements in Secure Children’s Homes, the reasons behind this. The impact on the homes and options to address these factors.
S.A.N. welcomes this process, having fully participated in the evidence gathering for the Report, and hopes that this will begin to draw up an evidenced based approach to the problems currently facing secure children’s homes.The Deloitte Report can be accessed through the D.C.S.F. website or
Click here to see full report
26th Feb 2009 - SAN National Oxford March 18th -
SAN’s next National Meeting in Oxford on March 18th is to focus on the outcome of the recent inquiries into the use of restrain in secure care. It will look at the likely implications for future practice for secure children’s homes. Andrew Williamson and Peter Smallridge, Authors on the report of the Independent Review of Restrain in Juvenile secure settings will summarise their findings and recommendations. Di Harte from the National Children’s Bureau will talk about the Report that she understood on behalf of the DCSF who will also have representatives at the meeting talking about their responses to the Inquiry Reports. Finally, Phil Tooze Director of the Woodland Centre in Bangor Northern Ireland will talk about the implications from an operational perspective.
Roy Walker Chair of SAN commented the “he was delighted that the meeting was focusing on such a key topic of practice and grateful for the time of the speakers”.
Please note that the meeting is only open to SAN members.
24th Feb 2009 - YJB Contract Decisions
Roy Walker, Chair of SAN, has been advised that the decisions about which secure children’s homes will be awarded new contracts to provide beds for the Youth Justice Board (YJB) will be announced during the second week of March, subject to Ministerial commitments. All the current contracts with the YJB end on June 30th and there are concerns that the new Contracts will reduce the number of beds they will purchase below the 209 they have previously indicated. This is on top of the reduction from the 235 the Board currently purchase which had already announced.
“This is a very worrying time for the Managers of secure children’s homes (SCHs) and indeed for the service as a whole. The implications of a further cut in YJB beds given the current financial background to budget setting cannot be ruled out. But the impact on the future of secure children’s homes could be huge and sadly I forsee further potential closures of homes. This is despite the fact that it is widely recognised that if a child has to be placed in secure care that SCHs are the best places to meet their needs”.
Roy Walker Chair SAN.
6th Feb 2009 - Radio 4 Programme on Secure Children’s Homes
Radio 4 is currently developing a Programme on the work and impact of secure children’s homes. It is due to be aired in April and more details will appear on this page when confirmed.
Inquiry to re-examine youth offending
By Mathew Little
Children & Young People Now,
28 January 2009
A major new inquiry has promised a "fundamental re-examination" of the way society responds to youth offending.
The Independent Commission on Youth Crime and Antisocial Behaviour says it will seek to minimise the harm that children and young people do to the community and themselves.
The Commission has been set up by the charity the Police Foundation and will be chaired by corporate lawyer Anthony Salz. The eleven other members include the former chair of Revenue and Customs, Sir David Varney, the chair of the Association of Youth Offending Team Managers, Mike Thomas and Andrew Webb, Stockport council's director for Children and Young People.
Salz, executive vice-chairman of investment bank N&M Rothschild, said: "We will be looking for better, more sustainable ways of dealing with behaviour issues that affect whole communities, whether they are direct victims of crime and anti-social behaviour - many young people among them - or taxpayers who pick up the bill for our existing, increasingly expensive system."
The Commission will ask experts to examine international research on prevention of youth crime and different approaches to youth justice. It will report in the summer of 2010.
Deloitte Report on Secure Childrens Homes
Click here to see full report
East Moor newsletter – Autumn Issue 2008
Please click here to download newsletter (Adobe PDF)
Ministerial Statement on Restraint – October 2008
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Mr. David Hanson): On 24 June, the Minister for Children, Young People and Families and I announced our intention of publishing the report prepared by Peter Smallridge and Andrew Williamson on the use of restraint in juvenile secure settings, together with the Government's response, by the end of October. The report covers a wide range of issues and consideration of them has necessitated detailed exploration which is still in progress. We will publish the report, and our response, by 15 December. SAN commentary: SAN is disappointed by the delay in the report being released but hopes that this will allow a considered response to its findings. SAN would be keen to play a positive part in any consultation process that is required.This is clearly a difficult and sensitive area of practice, hence the delays in the report, but one that equally requires the Government to be decisive and to decide what is required to ensure the highest standards of practice.
Letter to Minister - July 23rd
Recently released letter from Roy Walker, on behalf of SAN members, to Minister Ed Balls highlighting the current concerns within the secure sector affecting secure childrens homes click here
Community Care article - posted June 25th - Chair of the Secure Accommodation Network speaks out
A recent article in Community Care highlights the difficulties and concerns facing young people in secure care.
To read the full article online please click here.
PRESS RELEASE – JUNE 2008
POSITIVE PARTNERSHIP TO REDUCE RE-OFFENDING
A generous donation from Glen Care Group, a supporter of The Duke of Edinburgh 's Award, provides a vital boost to the resettlement of young offenders. The Glen Care Group has donated a substantial amount of money to The Duke of Edinburgh's Award ASPIRE Project. The focus of the project will be to support the resettlement of young offenders. The ASPIRE project seeks to establish that the Duke of Edinburgh's Award impacts positively on a young persons life and actively reduces the number of re-offenders aged 14-25 within the UK. Research continually shows that positive activities such as The Duke of Edinburgh's Award actively reduce re-offending. Research repeatedly demonstrates that self-esteem, self-worth, and personal development are crucial protective factors for young people at risk of engaging and re-engaging in crime and in preventing youth crime. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award programme is designed to develop and reinforce these positive characteristics. It is a highly successful proven programme which contributes positively to ensuring young people move on from their connection with the youth justice system. The Glen Care Group will be supporting The Duke of Edinburgh's Award ASPIRE Project by developing a suitable model for enabling young offenders to continue their DofE during resettlement. Orchard Lodge, a Secure Children's Home in South London owned by the Glen Care Group, will be one of six pilot establishments and provide valuable information to help the Project move forward. Gordon Phillips, Chairman, of the Glen Care Group said: “This will be a major befit for the young persons when they leave secure care giving them continuing support and mentoring once back in the community.” Aaron Whithead Clinical Director of the Glen Care Group said: “When the young person is in our care they receive therapy to prevent re-offending. This new ASPIRE programme will improve outcomes in terms of preventing re-offending.” Peter Westgarth CEO, Duke of Edinburgh's Award said: “We are most grateful to the Glen Care group for their donation towards our work with some of the most vulnerable young people in our society. This will enable us to develop a strong mechanism so that young people leaving custody are easily able to continue their involvement and achieve The Duke of Edinburgh's Award.” For further information about The Duke of Edinburgh's Award or this project, please contact: Emma Maguire
Communications Officer
Tel: 01753 727423
Email: emma.maguire@theaward.org
PRESS RELEASE – TUESDAY 13th MAY, 2008
NEW CHAIR OF THE SECURE ACCOMMODATION NETWORKRoy Walker has become the new Chair of the Secure Accommodation Network (S.A.N.) which represents secure children’s homes in England and Wales. He has taken over the role from Jon Banwell.Roy Walker has previously been Chair of S.A.N. and has been the Manager of Sutton Place Safe Centre, a secure unit in Hull, for over fifteen years. In June 2003 he was awarded an O.B.E. in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to children in East Yorkshire.Roy Walker is keen to build on the campaigning role of S.A.N. in both raising the profile of secure children’s homes and in further developing good practice. “In the current climate of threats to the future of secure children’s homes the role will be real challenge”.
Contact details for Roy Walker:Work Tel No: 01482 374186
Mobile No: 07702 670 158
E-Mail: roy.walker@hullcc.gov.uk
S.A.N: www.secureaccommodation.org.uk
PRESS RELEASE - MAY 9TH 2008 MANAGING TRANSITIONS FROM SECURE CHILDREN’S HOMESThe attached document drawn from the experiences of the Secure Accommodation Network (SAN) outlines the problems of poor practice in managing the move of children from secure homes back into the community.The foreword by Roy Walker, Acting Chair of SAN, outlines the issues and the concerns raised by such poor practice and are drawn from secure children’s homes around the country.Roy Walker OBE
Acting Chair Secure Accommodation Network
Tel: 01482 374186
Mob: 07702 670150
Email: roy.walker@hullcc.gov.uk
www.secureacommodation.org.uk
Click here for full document (Acrobat PDF)