Charity opts for intensive fostering

Charity NCH is piloting an intensive fostering scheme for young
offenders aged between 10 and 17.

Support workers will address educational needs and family ties, and
individual programme supervisors will oversee the child’s
progress.

The scheme is to be piloted at the Wessex Community Project, the
Wessex youth offending team managed by the charity.

Project manager Barbara Russell said: “Custody is no place for
children and intensive fostering is an excellent alternative to a
custodial sentence. It is cheaper than local authority secure
children’s homes and the system has worked with great success in
Oregon.”