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

supported by inspection findings and may have been due to inadequate involvement of young
people in the process or because they referred to the plan by a different name.
4.13 Training plans set out targets to manage the young person’s time in custody and plans for
release. Practice varied as to when training plan targets were written. Some case supervisors
said they waited until the initial training planning meeting; some wrote them after meeting the
young person and talking to YOTs but before the initial meeting; and others wrote them before
they had met the young person, although in some cases they had spoken to the YOT.
However, most case supervisors reported that targets would be discussed with the young
person during the initial meeting. For example, one case supervisor said:
‘I discussed issues with the YOT first and some plans were suggested; these were
then discussed and confirmed during the initial planning meeting where we set
specific targets.’
4.14 In our case sample all bar one young man had had at least an initial training planning meeting,
which, as set out by the YJB national standards 35 , should be held within 10 working days of a
young person’s arrival to custody. For the young person who said they had not had an initial
meeting, an unofficial review had taken place which had been held by residential staff without
the case worker or YOT case manager. This was due to the case supervisor being on sick
leave and the case not being picked up by another member of the team.
4.15 According to interviews with case supervisors and case files, targets had been set for the
majority of young people during their initial meeting. Although most (87%, n=53) of the young
people interviewed said that targets had been discussed in their training planning meetings
only 59% (n=36) knew what they actually were. Some young men said they could not
remember their targets and others reported that no targets had been set. Statements from
these young people included:
‘I don’t have any particular targets. We have another meeting next month, so I might
get some then.’
‘They set some targets but I can’t remember what they were. The first meeting I had, I
was clueless. It was alongside my final review, as they told me they are doing it all in
one.’
‘I can't remember what they are – I missed the last DTO review [training planning
meeting] as it was cancelled.’
4.16 Only half (54%, n=33) of the young people said that they had had a say in the targets that were
set for them – similar to our survey, where 58% felt they had been involved in the development
of their plan – and 56% (n=34) said that they tried to achieve their targets. Examples of
comments were:
‘I can say if I’m not happy and they would adjust them/take it into consideration.’
‘The case supervisor and YOT set them, then we sat and discussed them together. If I
didn’t have a say in them I wouldn’t try to achieve them.’
‘Some you have a say in but most of them the YOT case manager just picks for you.’
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