Secure Training Centres: Children

Chris Huhne
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many (a) looked after, (b) eligible, (c) relevant and (d) former relevant children are in secure training centres;

(2) how many (a) looked after, (b) eligible, (c) relevant and (d) former relevant children are in custody with (i) an indeterminate sentence for public protection, (ii) an extended sentence and (iii) life sentence;

(3) how many (a) looked after, (b) eligible, (c) relevant and (d) former relevant children are in secure children's homes;

(4) how many (a) looked after, (b) eligible, (c) relevant and (d) former relevant children were in custody in 2008 after the date of their 18th birthday;

(5) how many (a) looked-after, (b) eligible, (c) relevant and (d) former relevant children there are in young offender institutions.

Dawn Primarolo
An “eligible child” is a young person aged 16-18 who has been looked after for the prescribed period (13 weeks) and is then eligible for services under the Children (Leaving Care) Act and who remains looked after by the local authority. A “relevant child” is a young person aged 16-18 who has been looked after for the prescribed period (13 weeks) and is then eligible for services under the Children (Leaving Care) Act and who is no longer looked after by the local authority.

A “former relevant child” is a young person aged 18+ (i.e. legally adult) who was either an “eligible” or a “relevant child” or both who as a result will remain entitled to continuing leaving care support from their responsible local authority until age 21 or longer if continuing in an agreed programme of education or training.

Information on the number of children placed in secure units and in young offenders institutions or prisons who were (a) looked after, (b) eligible, can be found in the statistical first release titled “Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2009”.

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000878/index.shtml

Table A3 shows the number of children looked after at 31 March 2005 to 2009, aged up to 17 years (inclusive), who were placed in secure units and in young offenders institutions or prisons. This table can be found in the excel link titled (England Summary tables, included within PDF file).

Information on the number of (c) relevant and (d) former relevant children who are in secure training centres, secure children's homes, young offender institutions or in custody is not collected by the Department. Information on the numbers in custody with (i) an indeterminate sentence for public protection, (ii) an extended sentence and (iii) life sentence is also not collected by the Department.

Information on the number of former care leavers who were in custody around the time of their 19th birthday, who had previously been looked after aged 16, can also be found in the statistical first release titled “Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2009”.

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000878/index.shtml

Table G1 shows the number of former care leavers who were in custody around the time of their 19th birthday. This table can be found in the excel link titled (England Summary tables, included within PDF file).