 |
Half of the 72,000 prisoners in England and Wales have serious
problems with reading, and four-fifths with writing, according
to the Government. Both the prison and probation services are
committed to taking action to reduce crime by improving education
and training for offenders, those who are given community services
and those released from prison. There are considerable challenges
these services face to change their culture and practices in
order to provide better support for those with poor basic skills.
The National Offender Management Service (NOMS), based within the Ministry of Justice, works closely with the Learning and Skills Council, which plans and funds all post-16 education in England (apart from higher education). The Offenders' Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) manages contracts with learning providers and monitors delivery, with the aim of ensuring a seamless "learning journey" for offenders, so that they are able to gain the skills and qualifications they need to hold down a job and have a positive role in society. It also aims to ensure that offenders' learning is relevant to the needs of the labour market .
The Skills for Life national strategy to improve adult literacy and numeracy is contributing to this: all prisons must provide a basic skills screening test at reception and a core curriculum covering social and life skills, information technology and preparation for work as well as basic skills. Qualifications gained by offenders have made a large contribution to the achievement of the strategy's own targets.
The introduction of the OLASS arrangements saw the establishment of new contracts between the LSC and a series of lead providers. The main stakeholders in the new OLASS arrangements include the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Work and Pensions, with the main operational focus coming from the LSC, the National Offender Management Service, including HM Prison Service and the National Probation Service), the Youth Justice Board and the Youth Offending Teams, Jobcentre Plus and the Connexions Service.
OLASS does not have a dedicated staff or an organisation structure. Instead it is a means by which existing delivery services work together and focus on the particular needs of a specific group of learners. The budget that meets most of the costs of OLASS is held by the LSC (with a significant sum controlled also by the YJB) but the explicit intention, recognised by all the partners, is to act in a collaborative manner, making the effect of the OLASS arrangements greater than the sum of its parts.
OLASS also covers the education of young offenders. This is overseen by the Youth Justice Board, which commissions places for juveniles and young offenders in custodial establishments. Youth Offending Teams are multi-disciplinary teams that assess every young offender, identifying programmes to address their needs and prevent further offending. They exist in every local authority and are being incorporated into children's trusts. Local Connexions partnerships also work with young offenders in custody and the community, offering holistic support.
For more information visit www.dcsf.org.uk.
| |
80px.gif)
Prisons and literacy
