Hughes urged to act on councils’ failings

Children’s minister Beverley Hughes must take action to ensure that
councils provide better support for young offenders leaving prison,
a leading campaigner said this week.

Frances Crook, director of the Howard League for Penal Reform,
wants to meet Hughes to discuss the failure of councils to provide
support for young offenders on release.

Last week, the Howard League brought a judicial review case against
Bedfordshire youth offending team and Bedfordshire Council for
their failure to support a 17-year-old about to be released from
Warren Hill Young Offender Institution in Suffolk.

The boy claimed he had nowhere to go on his release and said the
Yot had failed in its obligation to provide “firm arrangements” for
his accommodation and education or training.

Bedfordshire Council said providing support to the boy had been
“made difficult” because of his past conduct but in a court
settlement agreed to offer provision.