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Resettlement provision for children and young ... - Ministry of Justice

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4. Management <strong>of</strong> resettlement <strong>provision</strong><br />

Strategic management<br />

Our expectations:<br />

In order to provide strategic direction <strong>and</strong> coordination <strong>of</strong> resettlement work HM Inspectorate <strong>of</strong><br />

Prisons expects each establishment to have a resettlement policy that outlines how the<br />

resettlement needs <strong>of</strong> the establishment’s population will be met, including the needs <strong>of</strong><br />

different groups <strong>of</strong> <strong>young</strong> people. This should be in<strong>for</strong>med by consultation with <strong>young</strong> people<br />

<strong>and</strong> an up to date resettlement needs assessment. A multidisciplinary/multi-agency resettlement<br />

committee, with the involvement <strong>of</strong> voluntary, statutory <strong>and</strong> community organisations, should<br />

monitor <strong>and</strong> evaluate the implementation <strong>of</strong> the policy.<br />

Our findings:<br />

Although all establishments had a resettlement policy, these were rarely based on a recent needs<br />

assessment <strong>of</strong> the population involving consultation with <strong>young</strong> people, or written in collaboration with<br />

relevant external agencies. Most establishments had a committee to drive work <strong>for</strong>ward but <strong>of</strong>ten this<br />

did not involve input from external agencies.<br />

The collection <strong>of</strong> resettlement data needed developing, including follow-up in<strong>for</strong>mation on the outcomes<br />

<strong>for</strong> <strong>young</strong> people, to help monitor <strong>and</strong> develop the effectiveness <strong>of</strong> resettlement work.<br />

4.1 A good quality, regular resettlement needs assessment is an important first step in identifying<br />

the needs <strong>of</strong> <strong>young</strong> people, as these will vary across <strong>and</strong> within establishment populations, as<br />

well as over time. Although the majority <strong>of</strong> fieldwork sites had completed a resettlement needs<br />

analysis <strong>of</strong> <strong>young</strong> people at some point, the <strong>for</strong>mat <strong>and</strong> in<strong>for</strong>mation collected differed<br />

significantly across establishments <strong>and</strong> <strong>young</strong> people had not always been consulted. Needs<br />

analyses were usually out <strong>of</strong> date <strong>and</strong> apart from at two <strong>of</strong> the establishments, where links had<br />

been made, they did not in<strong>for</strong>m the establishment’s resettlement policy. Many resettlement<br />

managers seemed unclear about how to construct <strong>and</strong> effectively use an ongoing resettlement<br />

needs analysis <strong>and</strong> had received little guidance.<br />

4.2 Although all establishments had a resettlement policy, it was evident that only one had been<br />

written with the necessary input from external agencies such as YOTs, local authorities, or<br />

voluntary or community agencies that were involved in, or could advise on, core resettlement<br />

activities like finding accommodation. Not all policies made specific mention <strong>of</strong> the distinct<br />

resettlement needs <strong>of</strong> different groups <strong>of</strong> <strong>young</strong> people such as those serving long sentences,<br />

looked after <strong>children</strong>, or those involved in gangs.<br />

4.3 All but one establishment had a resettlement committee tasked with ensuring that the policy<br />

was implemented. With the exception <strong>of</strong> two establishments, where the resettlement committee<br />

was regularly attended by at least local YOTs, none <strong>of</strong> the establishments had regular<br />

attendance at meetings from any external agencies. Not all resettlement committees gave their<br />

work direction.<br />

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