Agenda item

The Panel received a report and presentation on the Care Leavers Custody Project which was delivered by Tracy Shaw, Team Manager and Lesley Baldry, Service Manager (for copy of report and presentation see file of minutes).

The Panel noted that 13 Durham care leavers were currently in custody and care leavers in custody at HMP Durham included Durham care leavers as well as care leavers from other areas of the country. HMP Durham was a reception prison for those who were either awaiting sentencing or waiting to be transferred to other prisons.

The Team Manager explained the aim of the Care Leavers Service Custody Project was to engage with care leavers in custody, to offer support and promote awareness of the local offer which all care leavers were eligible to receive.

The project worked in partnership with prison staff to continue care planning for young people whilst in custody and a link had been established with the Care Leaver Lead at HMP Durham.  Monthly drop-in sessions were being held at the prison which 38 young people had attended. 

Training sessions had been held for prison staff, to support them to better understand the needs of care leavers in custody. Future plans included the establishment of a group for care leavers in HMP Durham to help inform the work of the Youth Offending and Probation services with regard to earlier interventions. In addition, work was ongoing to develop a peer mentoring scheme. The project was being replicated in other authorities and officers involved in the project were forging links with prisons in other parts of the country to ensure Durham care leavers in custody were offered support.  An audit of young people in custody was due to complete in the near future, in order to establish a baseline custody offer.

The Head of Children’s Social Care spoke of how proud she was of the work which had led the Probation Service to consider extending the scheme throughout the country. The Team Leader informed the Panel that a recent inspection of HMP Durham found the approach to be of a ‘gold standard’.

In response to questions from Councillor Kellett, the Team Leader explained that links had been made with other prisons including female establishments and support was offered up to the age of 25, to align with Durham Care Leavers Service offer.

Councillor Walton, asked for further information on the training provided to prison staff and the Team Leader responded that approximately 30 prison officers had been trained which included providing information on adopting a trauma-informed approach. The feedback had been overwhelmingly positive and further training sessions had been offered. Councillor Walton commented that she would like to see the training being incorporated into the standard training programme for all prison staff.

In relation to a question from Councillor Walton as to the number of young people in custody who had been allocated a peer mentor, the Team Leader replied that at present the peer mentoring scheme was in the early stages of development and Durham’s Peer Mentoring Service was investigating establishing a peer mentoring scheme within HMP Durham. 

In response to a request from Councillor Walton, the Team Leader agreed that a summary of the audit of young people in custody would be reported to a future meeting of the Corporate Parenting Panel.

Luke highlighted that young people in custody may be reluctant to inform staff of their care leaver status for fear of stigmatisation and he referred to discussions at previous Corporate Parenting Panel meetings on the subject of the possibility of Durham County Council adopting care experience as a protected characteristic as its adoption would provide further support for care leavers. The Team Leader agreed that whilst staff were sensitive to stigma and discrimination, the adoption of care experience as a protected characteristic would provide further protection.

Courtney asked whether support was available for young people in custody who were not care leavers and the Team Leader confirmed that a range of support was available including support for mental and physical health and drug and substance misuse.  

Councillor Reed expressed concern at delays when care leavers enter custody who are not identified as care leavers for weeks or sometimes months thereafter. The Team Leader explained that the aim was to offer support as quickly as possible.  Councillor Reed suggested that the question should be asked as soon as a young person comes into contact with the police, in order that prisons are aware, prior to young person entering prison.  The Team Manager agreed to investigate whether there was scope to identify care leavers, within the initial screening process by the police.

The Panel congratulated the team on the work, recognising that the availability of the support provided by the Care Leavers Custody Project could be a pivotal moment for a young person when entering custody. 

The Panel also congratulated the Team Leader on her nomination for the Social Worker of the Year award in recognition of the success of the project.

Resolved:

The Corporate Parenting Panel noted the progress of the custody work of the Care Leavers Service and agreed the future plans.