Justice written question – answered at on 7 February 2012.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) internal and (b) external investigations have been undertaken into self-harm, suicide and restraint in secure training centres in the last five years; which organisations undertook the investigations; and what the findings of those investigations were.
The following tables show the numbers of (a) internal and (b) external investigations as a result of self harm, suicide and restraint in secure training centres (STCs) from 2007 to 2011. The tables also show the findings of those investigations (where relevant).
There have been no suicides in STCs in the past five years. During the period from January 2007 to the present date, two coroners' inquests have taken place relating to one suicide that occurred in 2004. Narrative verdicts were returned at both inquests(1).
Allegations or complaints received in respect of restraint or self-harm are automatically referred to the local authority designated officer (LADO) in all four STCs. The LADO's role is initially to determine whether an internal or external investigation is required to take place on a case by case basis. However, the LADO responsible for the local authority in which Hassockfield STC is situated takes the view that all referrals and/or complaints are to be investigated externally (and therefore no internal investigations are counted on the following table for Hassockfield STC). This differs from the LADO covering the other three STC areas who apply a threshold whereby an external investigation will take place in line with section 47 of the Children's Act 1989—where there is a reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm in the form of physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect. Any internal investigations will be carried out by the STC in line with policies agreed by the Local Safeguarding Children's Board and all findings are presented to the LADO for external oversight prior to drawing any conclusions or taking actions forward.
All investigations are also reviewed by external inspectors from Ofsted during their inspection of STCs.
(1 )Where circumstances of a death are recorded without attributing the cause to a named individual.
(a) Internal invest igations (1) | |||||||||
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |||||||
Self-harm | Suicide | Restraint | Self-harm | Suicide | Restraint | Self-harm | Suicide | Restraint | |
Hassockfield | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Medway | 0 | 0 | (2)29 | 0 | 0 | (3)13 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
Oakhill | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
Rainsbrook | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
2010 | 2011 | |||||
Self-harm | Suicide | Restraint | Self-harm | Suicide | Restraint | |
Hassockfield | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Medway | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
Oakhill | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
Rainsbrook | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
(1) In Oakhill, Medway and Rainsbrook STCs, the total numbers collated for restraint investigations only relate to those complaints and referrals concerning the use of physical control in care rather than complaints about events that may occur during a restraint, for example, verbal abuse. (2 )In 2007, the system for complaints and referrals did not clearly differentiate between different categories of complaints and referrals. Therefore the total figures given here for Medway STC, includes other issues which could be related to restraint, i.e. assault by staff, over use of force. (3) ‘1’ of these ‘13’ instances includes a complaint made against the use of ‘control and restraint’ which is not an approved method of restraint in STCs. |
Outcomes of internal investigations | ||||||
(a) outcomes | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |||
NFA (1) | Disciplinary | NFA (1) | Disciplinary | NFA (1) | Disciplinary | |
Hassockfield | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Medway | 29 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 23 | 1 |
Oakhill | 10 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
Rainsbrook | 14 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
2010 | 2011 | |||
NFA (1) | Disciplinary | NFA (1) | Disciplinary | |
Hassockfield | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Medway | 17 | 2 | 11 | 0 |
Oakhill | 25 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
Rainsbrook | 12 | 1 | 22 | 0 |
(1 )No further action. |
(b) External investig ations carried out by LADO | |||||||||
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |||||||
Self-harm | Suicide | Restraint | Self-harm | Suicide | Restraint | Self-harm | Suicide | Restraint | |
Hassockfield | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
Medway | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Oakhill | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rainsbrook | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2010 | 2011 | |||||
Self-harm | Suicide | Restraint | Self-harm | Suicide | Restraint | |
Hassockfield | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 23 |
Medway | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Oakhill | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rainsbrook | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Outcomes of external investigations carried out by LADO | |||||||||
(b) outcomes | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | ||||||
NFA | Prosecution | Disciplinary | NFA | Prosecution | Disciplinary | NFA | Prosecution | Disciplinary | |
Hassockfield(1) | 17 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
Medway | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Oakhill | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rainsbrook | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2010 | 2011 | |||||
NFA | Prosecution | Disciplinary | NFA | Prosecution | Disciplinary | |
Hassockfield(1) | 14 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 3 |
Medway | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Oakhill | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rainsbrook | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
(1 )The total does not include complaints and referrals related to the use of distraction techniques and/or handcuffs. |
Yes1 person thinks so
No0 people think not
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