Do children in prison matter? That was the question up for debate at Community Care's fringe meeting with the Children's Society at the Labour party conference. Not surprisingly the answer was a clear "yes". But what do we make of Home Office minister Paul Goggins? He told the meeting that as a social worker he ran a community project to keep young offenders out of custody. He claimed he challenged the system. But now he is part of that system and has the power to change it, is he doing enough?

The minister says he wants to learn from mistakes. So why has he refused to hold a public inquiry into the death of Joseph Scholes? Community Care believes there should be a public inquiry every time a child dies in custody.

Meanwhile, the minister made no secret of the fact that the move away from local authority children's homes to more use of secure training centres and young offender institutions was largely cost-driven. He also failed to dismiss claims that the juvenile estate may be privatised. Goggins seems genuine in his desire to improve the youth justice system. But surely introducing the profit motive by privatising YOIs really isn't the way forward.