The Youth Justice Board is to cut back on the number of places in young offender institutions. From April, a total of 272 YOI places will go, the YJB has announced.

Some 190 new places have opened this year at secure training centres and local authority secure units. A new 80-place secure training unit is due to open in Milton Keynes in the summer.

But Sir Charles Pollard, acting chairperson of the Youth Justice Board, said there were still concerns about standards in secure accommodation for young offenders.

"The reduction in the number of young people being sent to custody has allowed the YJB to focus even more on ensuring that young people are placed in safe, secure establishments as close as possible to their homes. These latest changes are a step forward, but there is still a long way to go to bring the standards seen in the best establishments to the rest of the secure estate."

He added: "So far, the pace of reform in the secure sector has not matched the achievements made in the community to deal with young offenders. Although significant improvements have been made in the past few years more needs to be done. The YJB is currently working on a new vision for the juvenile secure estate to address our concerns."