Support orders for Asbos rarely used

Measures that are supposed to accompany anti-social behaviour orders to address the underlying causes of misbehaviour are rarely used, according to new research.

Individual support orders, which are meant to be given to young people with Asbos who are not already receiving tailored support, were only issued seven times to 10- to 17-year-olds from May to December 2004, compared with more than 600 Asbos in the same period, according to children’s charity NCH.

NCH policy officer George McNamara thought the lack of use of the orders could be down to costs.

He said the charity wanted to see the use of a range of preventative approaches, such as voluntary parenting classes, before young people reached the stage where they were issued with an Asbo.

A Home Office spokesperson said the government had announced extra funding for ISOs in June, so they could be used more widely in the future.