Registration in Young Offender Institutions
The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009-2017 Investigation Report, dated February 2019) that the UK government introduces arrangements for the professional registration of staff in roles responsible for the care of children in young offender institutions and secure training centres.
- No published professional registration scheme for the youth custody workforce has been established to March 2026.
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted in Part
Response
Accepted in PartWe accept the need for registration, noting that internal registration is most appropriate for the young offender institution and secure training centre workforce. We are exploring proposals for how it could operate.
Progress Timeline
The Government will undertake a programme of work to improve safeguarding and build workforce capability in the youth justice estate. This will involve reviewing how staff are recruited and the training and qualifications they are provided. The Government also commits to an ongoing programme of work to determine the most suitable registration framework for the youth custody estate, consulting with key stakeholders and exploring the merits of external registration, and will announce its decision by March 2026.
Reviewing recruitment, training, and qualifications for youth custody staff; consulting on registration framework. Decision announcement on registration framework expected March 2026.
Published Evidence
Published assessments of progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Source type badge indicates whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
Professor Alexis Jay told Home Affairs Committee that £187m was spent on IICSA and "to date none of its final recommendations had been implemented." Called for "full implementation" saying "get it done."
View detailed findings
As of December 2024, none of the 20 final report recommendations had been implemented. The previous government's response was described by Prof Jay as "very weak and, at times, apparently disingenuous."